New Zealand Food Prices Up 8.2 Pct

New Zealand food prices up 8.2 pct

WELLINGTON, July 15 (Xinhua) — Food prices in New Zealand were at their highest level in 18 years with the average cost of food rose by 8.2 percent over the last year, Statistics New Zealand said on Tuesday.

The last time food prices rose as quickly in one year was 1990.

The biggest jumps are at the supermarkets, with grocery foods up 12.1 percent – much of that linked to increases in the cost of butter, cheese and milk.

Fruit and vegetables have risen almost as steeply, up 8.7 percent.

Restaurant meals and takeaways have gone up 5.5 percent. Meat, poultry and fish have increased by 4.4 percent.

In the last month alone, the average cost of food went up by 1. 3 percent – mainly because of the higher price of fruit and vegetables in winter.

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