The average price of a household food basket for the month of March is R5,227.93.
This information is based on 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.
The index indicates that the average cost of a household food basket increased between February 2024 to March 2024 by R0.63, from R5227.60 to R5227.93.
Year-on-year, the average cost of a household food basket went from R4,966.20 in March 2023 to R5,227.93 in March 2024. That is a R311.72 hike in cost.
The marginal rise in the cost of a household food basket follows a decrease in the average cost of the food basket for February 2024.
Food pricing trends for February 2024
For the month of March there was a slight increase in the total costs of an average food basket.
According to the index, for March 2024, the cost of 28 foods increased, while the cost of 16 foods decreased.
The PMBEJD said that all baskets fluctuated a bit unpredictably for March.
Futhermore, data from the index showed that there were foods that increased by 5% or more and 2% or more.
In March of this year, foods that experienced an increase in cost by 2% or more include: rice (3%), sugar beans (4%), samp (2%), stock cubes (3%), tea (3%), chicken gizzards (3%), chicken livers (2%), green pepper (2%), Cremora (3%), canned beans (2%), peanut butter (3%), and brown bread (3%).
Items in the basket that saw a price increase of 5% or more in March 2024 include: curry powder (6%), chicken feet (6%), inyama yangaphakathi or beef tripe (6%), fish (8%), tomatoes (12%), and cabbage (12%).
Foods that saw a decrease in price by 2% or more include: potatoes (4%), beef liver (2%), spinach (4%), and white bread (2%).
Food items that saw a decrease in cost for March 2024 by 5% or more include: carrots (7%), butternut (20%), apples (6%), and oranges (22%)
Inflation on food baskets per area
From Johannesburg to Cape Town and Springbok, the cost of food baskets increased with Springbok experiencing a very high amount.
In Mtubatuba, Durban and Pietermaritzburg, the cost of food baskets decreased marginally.
The cost of a Johannesburg basket increased by R29.76 month on month and increased by R367.07, year-on-year. The cost of a Johannesburg basket for March 2024 is R5,387.28.
The cost of a Durban basket increased by R18.33 month-on-moth while year-on-year it increased by R372.71. In March 2024, the cost of a household basket is R5,244.11.
The cost of a Cape Town basket increased by R47.55 month-on-month and by R230.83 year-on-year. The cost of a Cape Town basket for March 2024 is R5,158.61
The cost of a Springbok basket increased by R288.54 month-on-month and increased by R432.71 year-on-year. The cost of a Springbok basket for March 2024 is R5,862.74.
The cost of a Pietermaritzburg basket decreased by R1.91 month-on-month while year-on-year it increased by R229.78. The cost of a Pietermaritzburg basket for March 2024 is R5122.13.
In Mtubatuba, the average cost of a food basket decreased by R12.34 month-on-month and increased by R225.50 year-on-year. The cost of a Mtubatuba food basket is R5,375.88 for March 2024.
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