“Fruit and vegetable prices increased 5.3 percent over the year, with higher prices for avocados, lettuce, potatoes, and bananas,” consumer prices manager, Matt Haigh, said. Fruit prices increased 7.8 percent, while vegetable prices increased 3.9 percent.

Restaurant meals and ready-to-eat food prices rose 2.0 percent. Meat, poultry, and fish prices increased 0.7 percent, with increases for beef, partly offset by lower prices for chicken and lamb. Beef prices are now at their highest levels, reflecting higher prices for minced beef and porterhouse steak. Minced beef prices are now at a peak of $14.38 per kilo, compared with $12.33 per kilo a year ago.

Lower grocery food prices (down 1.5 percent, and now at the same level as September 2010), were influenced by lower prices for fresh milk, yoghurt, cheese, and cakes and biscuits. Fresh milk prices (down 6.1 percent) are now at their lowest level since August 2013. Lower yoghurt prices (down 13 percent) were influenced by more discounting.

Lower fruit and vegetable prices push food prices down 0.5 percent in September

In the September month, food prices fell 0.5 percent. This follows a 0.5 percent fall in August and a 0.6 percent rise in July. Seasonally adjusted food prices rose 0.1 percent in September.

Fruit and vegetable prices fell 5.0 percent in September, with lower prices for tomatoes, lettuce, capsicums, and cucumber. Vegetable prices fell 7.9 percent, while fruit prices fell 0.3 percent. After adjusting for seasonal influences, vegetable prices fell 0.3 percent and fruit prices also fell 0.3 percent.

Higher prices for meat, poultry, and fish (up 1.8 percent) were influenced by higher prices for beef (now at their highest level) and processed meat. These rises were partly offset by lower prices for pork. Grocery food prices rose 0.2 percent, with higher prices for snack foods and sauces.