WELLINGTON, May 11 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand's food prices in April 2023 were 12.5 percent higher than they were in April 2022, hitting a 36-year high, according to figures released by the statistics department Stats NZ on Thursday.
"The 12.5 percent annual increase in April 2023 was the largest since September 1987 which included the introduction of GST (goods and services tax) in 1986," Stats NZ consumer prices manager James Mitchell said.
In April 2023, the annual increase was due to rises across all the broad food categories Stats NZ measures. Compared with April 2022, grocery food prices increased by 14 percent, and fruit and vegetables prices increased by 22.5 percent.
Increasing prices for barn or cage-raised eggs, potato chips, and six-pack yogurt were the largest drivers within grocery food," Mitchell said, adding these were the same drivers for grocery food last month.
The second-largest contributor to the annual movement was fruit and vegetables. The increase was driven by tomatoes, avocados, and potatoes, he said.
Monthly food prices rose 0.5 percent in April 2023 compared with March 2023, statistics showed.
Restaurant meals and ready-to-eat food increased by 1.7 percent and was the largest contributor to the monthly food price increase, Mitchell said.
"Higher prices for dining out and takeaway coffee drove the increase in restaurant meals and ready-to-eat food," he said. ■