The Household Affordability Index showed that there were a number of foods that increased in cost from vegetables to meat and white sugar. Picture: Freepik
From vegetables, to brown bread and sandwich spreads these are just some of the foods that increased the average price of the household food basket by about R58 from March 2024 to April 2024. The average household has increased from R5,277 to R5,336.
This is according to data from the Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity Group’s (PMBEJD) Household Affordability Index, which monitors food price data from 47 supermarkets and 32 butcheries across Johannesburg, Durban, Cape Town, Pietermaritzburg, Mtubatuba, and Springbok.
For the month of April, 27 foods increased in cost while the price of 17 foods decreased.
According to the index, higher vegetables prices, particularly the price of onions, pushed up the cost the April household food basket.
For April 2024, these are the foods that increased in cost by 5% or more:
– sugar beans (6%),
– onions (44%),
– tomatoes (13%),
– carrots (18%),
– spinach (12%),
– green pepper (17%),
– and soup (5%).
Foods which rose in price for April 2024 by 2% or more, include:
– white sugar (2%),
– maas (2%),
– chicken livers (2%),
– beef liver (2%),
– beef tripe (2%),
– cabbage (4%),
– tinned pilchards (3%),
– bananas (4%),
– peanut butter (2%),
– apricot jam (3%),
– and brown bread (2%).
While there some foods in the household food basket that increased in cost, there were also foods that decreased in cost.
Foods that dropped in cost for April 2024, by 5% or more, include:
– potatoes (-5%),
– tea (-5%),
– fish (-5%),
– apples (-12%),
– and oranges (-30%).
For April 2024, foods that decreased in cost by 2% or more, include:
– frozen chicken portions (-4%),
– curry powder (-2%),
– stock cubes (-3%),
– full cream milk (-2%),
– wors (-4%),
– canned baked beans (-2%),
– and margarine (-2%).
Data from the index showed that the average cost of a household food basket in April 2024 is R5,336.31.
On a month-to-month basis, the average cost of a household food basket increased by R58,38, from R5,277.93 in March 2024 to R5,336.31 to April 2024.
Year-on-year, the average cost of a household food basket increased by R312,36, from R5,023.95 in April 2023 to R5,336.31 in April 2024.
According to the index, the Johannesburg basket, which was considerably higher in cost than Durban and Cape Town, further increased the cost of the average household food basket.
High vegetable prices as well as the cost of some core staple foods maize meal, rice, flour, sugar, beans, bread pushed up the cost of the Johannesburg basket.
Food baskets in Springbok, Pietermaritzburg and Mtubatuba showed a substantial drop in costs.
The cost of a Johannesburg basket increased by R224.90 month on month and increased by R591.12, year-on-year. The cost of a Johannesburg basket for April 2024 is R5,612.18 .
The cost of a Durban basket increased by R12.88 month-on-moth while year-on-year it increased by R376.33. In April 2024, the cost of a household basket is R5,257.00.
The cost of a Cape Town basket increased by R28.15 month-on-month and by R96.91 year-on-year. The cost of a Cape Town basket for April 2024 is R5,186.76.
The cost of a Springbok basket decreased by R140.57 month-on-month and increased by R384.66 year-on-year. The cost of a Springbok basket for April 2024 is R5,722.17.
The cost of a Pietermaritzburg basket decreased by R61.82 month-on-month while year-on-year it increased by R90.77. The cost of a Pietermaritzburg basket for April 2024 is R5,060.31.
In Mtubatuba, the average cost of a food basket decreased by R91.76 month-on-month and increased by R140.32 year-on-year. The cost of a Mtubatuba food basket is R5,284.13 for April 2024.
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