Food prices were up 1.3 percent in January, partly boosted by the highest prices for yoghurt in more than five years, Stats NZ said today.
Grocery food prices rose 1.8 percent in January 2021, with yoghurt up 14 percent. A 6-pack of yoghurt reached a weighted average price of $5.45, the highest it has been since April 2015 when the price was $5.46. Yoghurt prices were 9.1 percent higher in January than their 2020 average of $5.00.
| Month | Weighted average price |
| Jan-15 | 5.54 |
| Feb-15 | 5.17 |
| Mar-15 | 5.54 |
| Apr-15 | 5.46 |
| May-15 | 5.06 |
| Jun-15 | 5.25 |
| Jul-15 | 5.14 |
| Aug-15 | 5.25 |
| Sep-15 | 4.78 |
| Oct-15 | 4.99 |
| Nov-15 | 5.01 |
| Dec-15 | 5.04 |
| Jan-16 | 4.91 |
| Feb-16 | 4.81 |
| Mar-16 | 4.83 |
| Apr-16 | 4.87 |
| May-16 | 4.97 |
| Jun-16 | 4.77 |
| Jul-16 | 4.64 |
| Aug-16 | 4.82 |
| Sep-16 | 4.85 |
| Oct-16 | 4.63 |
| Nov-16 | 4.9 |
| Dec-16 | 4.77 |
| Jan-17 | 4.95 |
| Feb-17 | 5.25 |
| Mar-17 | 4.97 |
| Apr-17 | 5.09 |
| May-17 | 5.33 |
| Jun-17 | 4.94 |
| Jul-17 | 5.11 |
| Aug-17 | 5.24 |
| Sep-17 | 5.19 |
| Oct-17 | 4.69 |
| Nov-17 | 4.53 |
| Dec-17 | 4.99 |
| Jan-18 | 5.02 |
| Feb-18 | 4.81 |
| Mar-18 | 4.82 |
| Apr-18 | 4.93 |
| May-18 | 4.83 |
| Jun-18 | 4.4 |
| Jul-18 | 4.73 |
| Aug-18 | 4.77 |
| Sep-18 | 5.27 |
| Oct-18 | 5.22 |
| Nov-18 | 4.63 |
| Dec-18 | 4.56 |
| Jan-19 | 5.18 |
| Feb-19 | 4.83 |
| Mar-19 | 4.8 |
| Apr-19 | 4.93 |
| May-19 | 5.03 |
| Jun-19 | 4.57 |
| Jul-19 | 4.67 |
| Aug-19 | 4.99 |
| Sep-19 | 4.98 |
| Oct-19 | 4.95 |
| Nov-19 | 4.88 |
| Dec-19 | 4.78 |
| Jan-20 | 5.18 |
| Feb-20 | 5.21 |
| Mar-20 | 5.2 |
| Apr-20 | 5.06 |
| May-20 | 4.95 |
| Jun-20 | 4.85 |
| Jul-20 | 4.92 |
| Aug-20 | 5.07 |
| Sep-20 | 5.05 |
| Oct-20 | 4.87 |
| Nov-20 | 4.83 |
| Dec-20 | 4.78 |
| Jan-21 | 5.45 |
"In January 2021 we saw a 6-pack of yoghurt coming off a number of discounted prices in December 2020," consumer prices manager Katrina Dewbery said.
"Pricing officers around the country let us know if items are on special which means we can keep track of specialing. We can see the impact this has on prices month-to-month."
Yoghurt makes up 1.13 percent of the food price index (FPI) basket compared with fresh milk which makes up 3.60 percent. The price of milk was up 1.8 percent in the month of January 2021.
The 1.3 percent increase in January was also influenced by rises in:
- beef steak - porterhouse or sirloin (up 7.3 percent)
- large soft drinks (up 5.9 percent)
- potato crisps (up 5.5 percent).
These were partly offset by lower prices for grapes, down 20 percent.
Food prices have risen every January since 2013
Food prices tend to rise in January, having risen every January since 2013. The last time there was a fall in January was in 1996, when food prices went down 0.2 percent.
| Month | Percent change |
| Jan-13 | 1.850 |
| Jan-14 | 1.189 |
| Jan-15 | 1.333 |
| Jan-16 | 1.986 |
| Jan-17 | 2.762 |
| Jan-18 | 1.241 |
| Jan-19 | 1.011 |
| Jan-20 | 2.073 |
| Jan-21 | 1.344 |
"Food prices tend to have a fairly strong rise in January, this January's 1.3 percent rise follows last year's 2.1 percent rise," Mrs Dewbery said.
"Although prices in December 2020 rose, we typically see falls in December months."
In January 2017, food prices rose 2.8 percent. This was the highest monthly increase since June 2009.
Annual food prices increased 2.1 percent
Annual increases in food were influenced by higher prices for restaurant meals and ready-to-eat food (lunch prices up 6.1 percent), and fruit and vegetables.
Lettuce prices reached a weighted average price of $2.35 per 500g head in January 2021 compared with $1.23 in January 2020, an increase of 91 percent.
| Year | Percent change |
| Jan-17 | 1.42 |
| Jan-18 | 1.32 |
| Jan-19 | 1.86 |
| Jan-20 | 1.23 |
| Jan-21 | 2.35 |
The annual increase was partly offset by meat, poultry, and fish, down 1.7 percent.
