Food prices in February 2009
Food prices increased 0.2 percent in February 2009, following an increase of 0.8 percent in January 2009 and a decrease of 0.2 percent in December 2008.
In February 2009, higher prices were recorded for the following subgroups: non-alcoholic beverages (up 1.7 percent), meat, poultry and fish (up 0.8 percent), restaurant meals and ready-to-eat food (up 0.5 percent), and grocery food (up 0.3 percent). Lower prices were recorded for the fruit and vegetables subgroup (down 2.6 percent).
The most significant individual upward contributions came from higher prices for soft drinks (up 2.7 percent), tomatoes (up 17.7 percent), cakes and biscuits (up 2.8 percent), and minced beef (up 6.8 percent).
The most significant individual downward contributions came from lower prices for apples (down 27.4 percent).
| Monthly Index Points Contribution |
| Subgroup |
December 2008 to
January 2009 |
January 2009 to
February 2009 |
Fruit and vegetables
Meat, poultry and fish
Grocery food
Non-alcoholic beverages
Restaurant meals and ready-to-eat food |
5.69
-1.30
1.70
2.54
0.72 |
-4.23
1.67
1.19
2.01
1.31 |
| Food Price Index |
9.36 |
1.95 |
Note: Index points contributions may not sum to totals due to rounding.
Distribution of item-level movements
The table below outlines the distribution of price movements in January 2009 and February 2009. The Food Price Index (FPI) has been partitioned into those national item-level indexes that increased, showed no change, or decreased.
| Distribution of Item-level Index Movements |
| National item-level index movements |
December 2008 to
January 2009 |
January 2009 to
February 2009 |
| Increase in price |
Number of items
Percentage of all items
Percentage of expenditure weight
Index points contribution
Weighted average price increase (percent) |
95
60.5
61.2
24.5
3.5 |
83
52.9
61.1
17.4
2.4 |
| No change in price |
Number of items
Percentage of all items
Percentage of expenditure weight |
2
1.3
0.7 |
2
1.3
0.8 |
| Decrease in price |
Number of items
Percentage of all items
Percentage of expenditure weight
Index points contribution
Weighted average price decrease (percent) |
60
38.2
38.1
-15.2
3.4 |
72
45.9
38.1
-15.5
3.5 |
The distribution of item-level movements shows that:
- the percentage of expenditure weight of items that increased in price fell slightly, while the percentage of expenditure weight of items that decreased in price remained unchanged
- the weighted average price increase fell significantly, while the weighted average price decrease rose slightly.
These movements resulted in a 0.2 percent increase in the February 2009 FPI, compared with a 0.8 percent increase in January 2009.
Annual movements
Food prices increased 8.8 percent in the year to February 2009, following increases of 9.5 percent and 9.1 percent in the years to January 2009 and December 2008, respectively.
All five of the food subgroups increased in the year to February 2009. The most significant upward contribution came from the grocery food subgroup (up 9.1 percent), followed by the meat, poultry and fish (up 11.0 percent), fruit and vegetables (up 12.1 percent), restaurant meals and ready-to-eat food (up 6.1 percent), and non-alcoholic beverages (up 6.2 percent) subgroups.
Within these subgroups, the most significant upward contributions came from higher prices for ready-to-eat food (up 6.5 percent), bread (up 15.8 percent), restaurant meals (up 5.5 percent), cakes and biscuits (up 13.9 percent), soft drinks (up 8.8 percent), and prepared meats and smallgoods (up 13.6 percent).
The most significant downward contributions came from lower prices for lettuce (down 7.5 percent), kumara (down 30.8 percent), and butter (down 13.1 percent).
| Annual Index Points Contribution |
| Subgroup |
February 2008 to February 2009 |
Grocery food
Meat, poultry and fish
Fruit and vegetables
Restaurant meals and ready-to-eat food
Non-alcoholic beverages |
37.64
19.94
16.20
14.32
6.89 |
| Food Price Index |
94.98 |
Note: Index points contributions may not sum to totals due to rounding.
Non-alcoholic beverages
Prices for the non-alcoholic beverages subgroup rose 1.7 percent in February 2009, following an increase of 2.2 percent in January 2009 and a decrease of 1.0 percent in December 2008.
The most significant upward contribution came from higher prices for soft drinks (up 2.7 percent).
For the year to February 2009, prices for the non-alcoholic beverages subgroup increased 6.2 percent. The most significant upward contribution came from higher prices for soft drinks (up 8.8 percent).
Fruit and vegetables
Prices for the fruit and vegetables subgroup decreased 2.6 percent in February 2009, following an increase of 3.6 percent in January 2009 and a decrease of 3.9 percent in December 2008.
The most significant downward contribution came from lower prices for apples (down 27.4 percent), kumara (down 15.2 percent), and pears (down 21.3 percent).
The most significant upward contribution came from higher prices for tomatoes (up 17.7 percent), kiwifruit (up 16.0 percent), and bananas (up 4.0 percent).
For the year to February 2009, fruit and vegetable prices increased 12.1 percent. The most significant individual upward contributions came from higher prices for kiwifruit (up 54.4 percent), potatoes (up 18.8 percent), and mandarins (up 52.5 percent).
Other subgroups
In February 2009, higher prices were recorded for the following subgroups: meat, poultry and fish (up 0.8 percent), restaurant meals and ready-to-eat food (up 0.5 percent), and grocery food (up 0.3 percent).
Within these subgroups, the most significant upward contributions came from higher prices for minced beef (up 6.8 percent), chocolate biscuits (up 7.1 percent), yoghurt (up 3.6 percent), and chocolate bars and blocks (up 3.2 percent).
The most significant downward contributions came from lower prices for muesli bars (down 7.6 percent), pizzas (down 13.5 percent), boxed chocolates (down 12.0 percent) due to Valentine's day specials, and sausages (down 4.3 percent).
For technical information contact:
Yvonne Fakahau or Gareesh Madhas
Wellington 04 931 4600
Email: info@stats.govt.nz
Next release ...
Food Price Index: March 2009 will be released on 17 April 2009.