Stats NZ reported a marginal rise in food prices due to a 13.3% decrease in fruit and vegetable costs for the year ending March 2024. James Mitchell, Stats NZ consumer prices manager, highlighted this as the most significant drop since records began in 1999, attributed mainly to lower prices for tomatoes, lettuce, and avocados.
Despite this, all other food categories experienced price hikes, contributing to the overall increase. Restaurant meals and ready-to-eat food saw a 6.4% rise, grocery foods went up by 1.7%, and non-alcoholic beverages by 4.3%. Mitchell remarked on the increased costs of dining out or ordering takeaways in March 2024. Conversely, monthly food prices fell by 0.5% in March compared to February 2024, with fruit and vegetables leading the decline.
Source: 1news.co.nz
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