Food basket price down, yet costly

The price of the household food basket decreased slightly in February – but is still too high when compared to how much money low-income consumers have to spend on food.

In February, the average cost of the household food basket, which provides for a family of four people, was R5 277.30, costing R47.56 (-0,9%) less than in January, but R348.96 (7.1%) more than in February 2023.

The household food basket survey is conducted for the Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity Group by women who live in low-income communities where they shop for food at 47 supermarkets and 32 butcheries in Johannesburg, Durban, Cape Town, Pietermaritzburg, Mtubatuba and Springbok.

Mervyn Abrahams, programme coordinator for the group, says the decease is relatively consistent with historical data, where February prices are lower than in January, but usually prices increase again in March.

“We started to see a slight downward trend in food prices since October, with January 2024 presenting a blip, although it is in line with past trends.

“Food price fluctuations are unpredictable and we do not yet know whether the downward trajectory will continue into the new year, or if prices are set to rise in the coming months in line with previous years.”

However, Abrahams says the group believes food inflation may be more subdued this year compared to the past two years, although it will remain high.

He points out that for women trying to get food for their families, it is not necessarily the price fluctuations on individual food items that present a problem, but rather the total cost of the household basket relative to income levels.

“Here the total cost of the household basket relative to income levels is still too high. It causes a household affordability crisis for families because the household purse has to cover a myriad of different expenses and food is just one of them.

“It’s important to remember that this expense is most likely within a woman’s control, as she buys the food, and this tends to be compromised in an attempt to hold the family together by securing other expenses...”