Food prices increased 4.4 percent in the 12 months to May 2025, following a 3.7 percent increase in the 12 months to April 2025, according to figures released by Stats NZ today.
| Month | Annual percentage change |
| May-19 | 1.7 |
| Jun-19 | 0.5 |
| Jul-19 | 0.9 |
| Aug-19 | 2.1 |
| Sep-19 | 2.2 |
| Oct-19 | 2.5 |
| Nov-19 | 2.4 |
| Dec-19 | 2.4 |
| Jan-20 | 3.5 |
| Feb-20 | 3.1 |
| Mar-20 | 3.3 |
| Apr-20 | 4.4 |
| May-20 | 2.9 |
| Jun-20 | 4.1 |
| Jul-20 | 4.2 |
| Aug-20 | 4.2 |
| Sep-20 | 3.1 |
| Oct-20 | 2.7 |
| Nov-20 | 2.6 |
| Dec-20 | 2.9 |
| Jan-21 | 2.1 |
| Feb-21 | 1.2 |
| Mar-21 | 0.5 |
| Apr-21 | 0.7 |
| May-21 | 1.8 |
| Jun-21 | 2.8 |
| Jul-21 | 2.8 |
| Aug-21 | 2.4 |
| Sep-21 | 4 |
| Oct-21 | 3.7 |
| Nov-21 | 4 |
| Dec-21 | 4.5 |
| Jan-22 | 5.9 |
| Feb-22 | 6.8 |
| Mar-22 | 7.6 |
| Apr-22 | 6.4 |
| May-22 | 6.8 |
| Jun-22 | 6.6 |
| Jul-22 | 7.4 |
| Aug-22 | 8.3 |
| Sep-22 | 8.3 |
| Oct-22 | 10.1 |
| Nov-22 | 10.7 |
| Dec-22 | 11.3 |
| Jan-23 | 10.3 |
| Feb-23 | 12 |
| Mar-23 | 12.1 |
| Apr-23 | 12.5 |
| May-23 | 12.1 |
| Jun-23 | 12.5 |
| Jul-23 | 9.6 |
| Aug-23 | 8.9 |
| Sep-23 | 8 |
| Oct-23 | 6.3 |
| Nov-23 | 6 |
| Dec-23 | 4.8 |
| Jan-24 | 4.2 |
| Feb-24 | 2.1 |
| Mar-24 | 0.7 |
| Apr-24 | 0.8 |
| May-24 | 0.2 |
| Jun-24 | -0.3 |
| Jul-24 | 0.6 |
| Aug-24 | 0.4 |
| Sep-24 | 1.2 |
| Oct-24 | 1.2 |
| Nov-24 | 1.3 |
| Dec-24 | 1.5 |
| Jan-25 | 2.3 |
| Feb-25 | 2.4 |
| Mar-25 | 3.5 |
| Apr-25 | 3.7 |
| May-25 | 4.4 |
Higher prices for the grocery food group and the meat, poultry, and fish group contributed most to the annual increase in food prices, up 5.2 percent and 5.4 percent, respectively.
"All five food groups recorded an annual price increase in May," prices and deflators spokesperson Nicola Growden said.
The price increase for the grocery food group was due to higher prices for milk, butter, and cheese.
The average price for:
- milk was $4.57 per 2 litres, up 15.1 percent annually
- butter was $8.42 per 500 grams, up 51.2 percent annually
- cheese was $13.04 per 1 kilogram block, up 30.1 percent annually.
"The cost of a 500 gram block of butter is nearly twice as expensive as the lower prices seen in early 2024," Growden said.
| Month | "Butter |
| May-19 | per 500g" |
| Jun-19 | 5.43 |
| Jul-19 | 5.33 |
| Aug-19 | 5.3 |
| Sep-19 | 5.35 |
| Oct-19 | 5.47 |
| Nov-19 | 5.53 |
| Dec-19 | 5.41 |
| Jan-20 | 5.1 |
| Feb-20 | 5.46 |
| Mar-20 | 5.45 |
| Apr-20 | 5.38 |
| May-20 | 5.44 |
| Jun-20 | 5.42 |
| Jul-20 | 5.41 |
| Aug-20 | 5.25 |
| Sep-20 | 5.36 |
| Oct-20 | 5.36 |
| Nov-20 | 5.4 |
| Dec-20 | 5.11 |
| Jan-21 | 5.17 |
| Feb-21 | 5.2 |
| Mar-21 | 5.17 |
| Apr-21 | 4.97 |
| May-21 | 4.9 |
| Jun-21 | 4.96 |
| Jul-21 | 4.98 |
| Aug-21 | 5.11 |
| Sep-21 | 5.31 |
| Oct-21 | 5.15 |
| Nov-21 | 5.26 |
| Dec-21 | 5.41 |
| Jan-22 | 5.38 |
| Feb-22 | 5.48 |
| Mar-22 | 5.65 |
| Apr-22 | 5.42 |
| May-22 | 5.26 |
| Jun-22 | 5.63 |
| Jul-22 | 5.36 |
| Aug-22 | 5.34 |
| Sep-22 | 5.36 |
| Oct-22 | 5.29 |
| Nov-22 | 5.25 |
| Dec-22 | 5.21 |
| Jan-23 | 5.31 |
| Feb-23 | 5.34 |
| Mar-23 | 5.48 |
| Apr-23 | 5.4 |
| May-23 | 5.39 |
| Jun-23 | 5.31 |
| Jul-23 | 5.29 |
| Aug-23 | 5.32 |
| Sep-23 | 4.95 |
| Oct-23 | 5.18 |
| Nov-23 | 4.83 |
| Dec-23 | 4.49 |
| Jan-24 | 4.48 |
| Feb-24 | 4.48 |
| Mar-24 | 4.48 |
| Apr-24 | 4.48 |
| May-24 | 4.49 |
| Jun-24 | 5.57 |
| Jul-24 | 5.87 |
| Aug-24 | 6.04 |
| Sep-24 | 6.51 |
| Oct-24 | 6.62 |
| Nov-24 | 6.67 |
| Dec-24 | 6.67 |
| Jan-25 | 6.66 |
| Feb-25 | 6.79 |
| Mar-25 | 7.32 |
| Apr-25 | 7.33 |
| May-25 | 7.42 |
The increase in the meat, poultry, and fish group was driven by higher prices for beef steak and beef mince, up 18.6 percent and 13.0 percent, respectively.
Rent prices increase 2.8 percent annually
Rent prices increased 2.8 percent in the 12 months to May 2025, following a 3.0 percent increase in the 12 months to April 2025.
The 2.8 percent increase is the lowest increase for rent prices since January 2015 when prices also increased 2.8 percent.
"Annual rent price increases haven't been below 2.8 percent since 2011," Growden said.
| Month | Annual percentage change |
| May-10 | 1.4 |
| Jun-10 | 1.5 |
| Jul-10 | 1.5 |
| Aug-10 | 1.5 |
| Sep-10 | 1.5 |
| Oct-10 | 1.7 |
| Nov-10 | 1.7 |
| Dec-10 | 1.7 |
| Jan-11 | 1.6 |
| Feb-11 | 1.8 |
| Mar-11 | 2 |
| Apr-11 | 2.1 |
| May-11 | 2.2 |
| Jun-11 | 2.2 |
| Jul-11 | 2.4 |
| Aug-11 | 2.4 |
| Sep-11 | 2.5 |
| Oct-11 | 2.5 |
| Nov-11 | 2.7 |
| Dec-11 | 2.8 |
| Jan-12 | 2.8 |
| Feb-12 | 2.9 |
| Mar-12 | 2.9 |
| Apr-12 | 3 |
| May-12 | 3.1 |
| Jun-12 | 3.1 |
| Jul-12 | 3.1 |
| Aug-12 | 3.1 |
| Sep-12 | 3.1 |
| Oct-12 | 3.1 |
| Nov-12 | 3.1 |
| Dec-12 | 3.2 |
| Jan-13 | 3.3 |
| Feb-13 | 3.2 |
| Mar-13 | 3.1 |
| Apr-13 | 3 |
| May-13 | 3 |
| Jun-13 | 3.1 |
| Jul-13 | 3 |
| Aug-13 | 2.9 |
| Sep-13 | 2.9 |
| Oct-13 | 3 |
| Nov-13 | 3 |
| Dec-13 | 2.9 |
| Jan-14 | 3 |
| Feb-14 | 3 |
| Mar-14 | 3 |
| Apr-14 | 3 |
| May-14 | 2.9 |
| Jun-14 | 2.8 |
| Jul-14 | 2.9 |
| Aug-14 | 2.9 |
| Sep-14 | 3 |
| Oct-14 | 2.9 |
| Nov-14 | 2.9 |
| Dec-14 | 2.9 |
| Jan-15 | 2.8 |
| Feb-15 | 2.9 |
| Mar-15 | 3.1 |
| Apr-15 | 3.1 |
| May-15 | 3.1 |
| Jun-15 | 3.2 |
| Jul-15 | 3.2 |
| Aug-15 | 3.3 |
| Sep-15 | 3.3 |
| Oct-15 | 3.3 |
| Nov-15 | 3.3 |
| Dec-15 | 3.3 |
| Jan-16 | 3.4 |
| Feb-16 | 3.4 |
| Mar-16 | 3.3 |
| Apr-16 | 3.4 |
| May-16 | 3.5 |
| Jun-16 | 3.4 |
| Jul-16 | 3.4 |
| Aug-16 | 3.5 |
| Sep-16 | 3.5 |
| Oct-16 | 3.5 |
| Nov-16 | 3.5 |
| Dec-16 | 3.4 |
| Jan-17 | 3.4 |
| Feb-17 | 3.4 |
| Mar-17 | 3.3 |
| Apr-17 | 3.4 |
| May-17 | 3.3 |
| Jun-17 | 3.4 |
| Jul-17 | 3.4 |
| Aug-17 | 3.3 |
| Sep-17 | 3.2 |
| Oct-17 | 3.2 |
| Nov-17 | 3.2 |
| Dec-17 | 3.3 |
| Jan-18 | 3.2 |
| Feb-18 | 3.2 |
| Mar-18 | 3.2 |
| Apr-18 | 3.1 |
| May-18 | 3.2 |
| Jun-18 | 3.2 |
| Jul-18 | 3.2 |
| Aug-18 | 3.2 |
| Sep-18 | 3.2 |
| Oct-18 | 3.2 |
| Nov-18 | 3.3 |
| Dec-18 | 3.1 |
| Jan-19 | 3 |
| Feb-19 | 3.1 |
| Mar-19 | 3.2 |
| Apr-19 | 3.3 |
| May-19 | 3.3 |
| Jun-19 | 3.2 |
| Jul-19 | 3.3 |
| Aug-19 | 3.4 |
| Sep-19 | 3.3 |
| Oct-19 | 3.2 |
| Nov-19 | 3.1 |
| Dec-19 | 3.4 |
| Jan-20 | 3.5 |
| Feb-20 | 3.6 |
| Mar-20 | 3.4 |
| Apr-20 | 3.5 |
| May-20 | 3.4 |
| Jun-20 | 3.3 |
| Jul-20 | 3.3 |
| Aug-20 | 3.2 |
| Sep-20 | 3.3 |
| Oct-20 | 3.2 |
| Nov-20 | 3.2 |
| Dec-20 | 3.1 |
| Jan-21 | 3.1 |
| Feb-21 | 3 |
| Mar-21 | 3.1 |
| Apr-21 | 2.9 |
| May-21 | 3.1 |
| Jun-21 | 3.1 |
| Jul-21 | 3.2 |
| Aug-21 | 3.2 |
| Sep-21 | 3.2 |
| Oct-21 | 3.3 |
| Nov-21 | 3.5 |
| Dec-21 | 3.7 |
| Jan-22 | 3.6 |
| Feb-22 | 3.6 |
| Mar-22 | 3.7 |
| Apr-22 | 3.9 |
| May-22 | 3.8 |
| Jun-22 | 4 |
| Jul-22 | 3.9 |
| Aug-22 | 4 |
| Sep-22 | 4.1 |
| Oct-22 | 4.1 |
| Nov-22 | 4 |
| Dec-22 | 3.9 |
| Jan-23 | 3.8 |
| Feb-23 | 3.9 |
| Mar-23 | 3.9 |
| Apr-23 | 3.8 |
| May-23 | 3.8 |
| Jun-23 | 3.9 |
| Jul-23 | 4.1 |
| Aug-23 | 4.1 |
| Sep-23 | 4.2 |
| Oct-23 | 4.2 |
| Nov-23 | 4.3 |
| Dec-23 | 4.4 |
| Jan-24 | 4.5 |
| Feb-24 | 4.5 |
| Mar-24 | 4.6 |
| Apr-24 | 4.6 |
| May-24 | 4.6 |
| Jun-24 | 4.5 |
| Jul-24 | 4.3 |
| Aug-24 | 4.3 |
| Sep-24 | 4.3 |
| Oct-24 | 4.2 |
| Nov-24 | 4.1 |
| Dec-24 | 3.8 |
| Jan-25 | 3.6 |
| Feb-25 | 3.4 |
| Mar-25 | 3.3 |
| Apr-25 | 3 |
| May-25 | 2.8 |
Food prices increase 0.5 percent in the month
Food prices were up 0.5 percent in May 2025, following a 0.8 percent rise in April 2025.
Higher prices for the fruit and vegetables group and the meat, poultry, and fish group drove the increase in food prices for May 2025, up 3.6 percent and 1.7 percent, respectively.
More expensive tomatoes, avocados, and cucumber drove the increase for fruit and vegetables, while higher prices for chicken nuggets and lamb leg drove the increase for meat, poultry, and fish.
