Food prices were flat in August as lower fruit and vegetable prices were offset by higher grocery food, poultry, and non-alcoholic beverage prices, Statistics New Zealand (SNZ) said today.
Food prices were down 0.1 percent last month, following increases of 1.6 percent in July and 1.3 percent in June.
The fruit and vegetable subgroup fell 3.7 percent, influenced by vegetable prices dropping 5.8 percent, while fruit prices fell 0.2 percent.
SNZ said vegetable prices usually decrease in August, and the most significant downward contribution came from tomatoes, down 17.9 percent, cucumber, down 20.9 percent, nectarine, down 24.8 percent, and potato, down 7.4 percent.
On the other hand, grocery food prices rose 0.6 percent; meat, poultry and fish prices rose 0.8 percent; and non-alcoholic beverages prices rose 0.9 percent.
SNZ said the most significant individual contributions came from higher prices for fresh chicken, up 9.1 percent, yoghurt, up 5.2 percent, and minced beef, up 5 percent.
For the year to August, food prices fell 0.2 percent -- the fourth consecutive month of annual falls, which has not occurred since May 2000.
Fruit and vegetable prices dropped 4.7 percent, and meat, poultry, and fish prices fell 1.6 percent. While non-alcoholic beverages were down 0.2 percent.
SNZ said the falls were partly offset by prices rises for grocery food, up 1.2 percent, and restaurant meals and ready-to-eat food, up 1.8 percent.