Food prices across Aotearoa New Zealand rose 1.9 percent in January 2025, following a 0.1 percent increase in December 2024, according to figures released by Stats NZ today.
This is the largest monthly rise in the cost of food since a 2.1 percent increase in July 2022.
| Month | Monthly percentage change |
| Jan-21 | 1.3 |
| Feb-21 | -0.9 |
| Mar-21 | 0.0 |
| Apr-21 | 1.1 |
| May-21 | 0.4 |
| Jun-21 | 1.4 |
| Jul-21 | 1.3 |
| Aug-21 | 0.3 |
| Sep-21 | 0.5 |
| Oct-21 | -0.9 |
| Nov-21 | -0.6 |
| Dec-21 | 0.6 |
| Jan-22 | 2.7 |
| Feb-22 | -0.1 |
| Mar-22 | 0.7 |
| Apr-22 | 0.1 |
| May-22 | 0.7 |
| Jun-22 | 1.2 |
| Jul-22 | 2.1 |
| Aug-22 | 1.1 |
| Sep-22 | 0.4 |
| Oct-22 | 0.8 |
| Nov-22 | 0.0 |
| Dec-22 | 1.1 |
| Jan-23 | 1.7 |
| Feb-23 | 1.5 |
| Mar-23 | 0.8 |
| Apr-23 | 0.5 |
| May-23 | 0.3 |
| Jun-23 | 1.6 |
| Jul-23 | -0.5 |
| Aug-23 | 0.5 |
| Sep-23 | -0.4 |
| Oct-23 | -0.9 |
| Nov-23 | -0.2 |
| Dec-23 | -0.1 |
| Jan-24 | 1.2 |
| Feb-24 | -0.6 |
| Mar-24 | -0.5 |
| Apr-24 | 0.6 |
| May-24 | -0.2 |
| Jun-24 | 1.0 |
| Jul-24 | 0.4 |
| Aug-24 | 0.2 |
| Sep-24 | 0.5 |
| Oct-24 | -0.9 |
| Nov-24 | -0.1 |
| Dec-24 | 0.1 |
| Jan-25 | 1.9 |
About 65 percent of items priced in the food basket were more expensive in January 2025, compared with an average of 54 percent per month in 2024.
"The proportion of the food basket that increased by over 5 percent in price was the highest in five years," prices and deflators spokesperson Nicola Growden said.
"About 20 percent of the basket saw prices rise 5 percent or more in January."
| Month | Below -1 percent | -1 percent to 1 percent | 1 to 3 percent | 3 to 5 percent | Above 5 percent |
| Jan-20 | 11 | 48.1 | 14.1 | 5 | 21.8 |
| Feb-20 | 19.6 | 51.3 | 13.9 | 2 | 13.2 |
| Mar-20 | 23.2 | 47.4 | 11.9 | 3.4 | 14.1 |
| Apr-20 | 22 | 44.4 | 9.8 | 7.4 | 16.4 |
| May-20 | 33 | 42.5 | 14 | 4.9 | 5.6 |
| Jun-20 | 29.3 | 42.4 | 15.7 | 4 | 8.6 |
| Jul-20 | 28.5 | 40.6 | 14.5 | 7.7 | 8.7 |
| Aug-20 | 18.5 | 56.8 | 11.3 | 7 | 6.4 |
| Sep-20 | 26.4 | 51.3 | 13.6 | 4.8 | 3.9 |
| Oct-20 | 23.3 | 51.4 | 14.8 | 3.2 | 7.3 |
| Nov-20 | 32.6 | 46.7 | 11.2 | 4.2 | 5.3 |
| Dec-20 | 28.1 | 46.4 | 14 | 5.4 | 6.1 |
| Jan-21 | 14.9 | 48.8 | 17.2 | 5.7 | 13.4 |
| Feb-21 | 29.1 | 51.9 | 13.7 | 2 | 3.2 |
| Mar-21 | 27.5 | 48.7 | 11.3 | 5.5 | 7 |
| Apr-21 | 17.6 | 36.2 | 33.7 | 8.7 | 3.8 |
| May-21 | 16 | 61.9 | 10.2 | 7 | 4.9 |
| Jun-21 | 14 | 62.5 | 14.9 | 3.1 | 5.5 |
| Jul-21 | 13.4 | 50.5 | 22.9 | 8 | 5.2 |
| Aug-21 | 24.1 | 47.7 | 16.7 | 4.4 | 7.1 |
| Sep-21 | 12.4 | 52.8 | 18.6 | 10 | 6.2 |
| Oct-21 | 22.2 | 60.5 | 12.5 | 1.7 | 3.1 |
| Nov-21 | 22.2 | 48.4 | 12.8 | 9.3 | 7.3 |
| Dec-21 | 28 | 37 | 21.8 | 6.6 | 6.6 |
| Jan-22 | 4.9 | 50.6 | 17.3 | 11.9 | 15.3 |
| Feb-22 | 23.4 | 45.5 | 19.7 | 5.2 | 6.2 |
| Mar-22 | 15.2 | 47.9 | 22.1 | 5.6 | 9.2 |
| Apr-22 | 23.6 | 27.9 | 35.9 | 7.5 | 5.1 |
| May-22 | 16.9 | 45.7 | 23.9 | 6.1 | 7.4 |
| Jun-22 | 20.2 | 47.5 | 12.6 | 6.9 | 12.8 |
| Jul-22 | 17.4 | 39.4 | 24.1 | 12.8 | 6.3 |
| Aug-22 | 16.5 | 47.6 | 20.2 | 7.9 | 7.8 |
| Sep-22 | 17.4 | 48.7 | 21.5 | 7.7 | 4.7 |
| Oct-22 | 8.2 | 34.9 | 31.6 | 13.8 | 11.5 |
| Nov-22 | 13.2 | 50.5 | 16.2 | 10.1 | 10 |
| Dec-22 | 19.9 | 47 | 20.2 | 6 | 6.9 |
| Jan-23 | 7.8 | 46.9 | 23.3 | 9.4 | 12.6 |
| Feb-23 | 14.1 | 51.8 | 18.9 | 5.8 | 9.4 |
| Mar-23 | 19.1 | 52.4 | 12.1 | 6.6 | 9.8 |
| Apr-23 | 15.9 | 30.3 | 35.8 | 11.7 | 6.3 |
| May-23 | 18.7 | 45.8 | 23.2 | 3.9 | 8.4 |
| Jun-23 | 19.1 | 38.4 | 33.7 | 2.9 | 5.9 |
| Jul-23 | 30.8 | 47 | 12.5 | 3.8 | 5.9 |
| Aug-23 | 22.4 | 47.6 | 21.1 | 3.1 | 5.8 |
| Sep-23 | 18.8 | 53.4 | 16.5 | 8.8 | 2.5 |
| Oct-23 | 34.8 | 44.4 | 12 | 4 | 4.8 |
| Nov-23 | 23.1 | 48.7 | 14.5 | 6.7 | 7 |
| Dec-23 | 25.2 | 54.1 | 10.9 | 4.4 | 5.4 |
| Jan-24 | 14.1 | 47.3 | 23.9 | 5.6 | 9.1 |
| Feb-24 | 19.5 | 55.9 | 14.2 | 5.8 | 4.6 |
| Mar-24 | 23.4 | 62.1 | 5.6 | 3.2 | 5.7 |
| Apr-24 | 12.9 | 56.9 | 16.6 | 7.2 | 6.3 |
| May-24 | 24.9 | 55.5 | 9.8 | 4.7 | 5.1 |
| Jun-24 | 16.4 | 59.1 | 9.8 | 4.4 | 10.3 |
| Jul-24 | 22.2 | 54.5 | 12.2 | 4.8 | 6.3 |
| Aug-24 | 17.8 | 57.9 | 11.4 | 7.7 | 5.1 |
| Sep-24 | 16.3 | 53.2 | 15.8 | 7 | 7.7 |
| Oct-24 | 29.7 | 48.5 | 15.1 | 2.4 | 4.3 |
| Nov-24 | 19.8 | 52 | 14 | 4.5 | 9.6 |
| Dec-24 | 27.8 | 46.3 | 14.5 | 2.8 | 8.6 |
| Jan-25 | 11.8 | 51.1 | 11.4 | 5.6 | 20.1 |
Higher prices for grocery food contributed the most to the January 2025 increase, with higher prices for boxed chocolates, milk, and chocolate blocks.
"The average price of a 2-litre bottle of milk was $4.54 in January this year. In January last year, it was $3.93," Growden said.
The average price of a 250g block of chocolate was $5.72 in January 2025 compared with $4.90 in January 2024.
| Month | "Chocolate block | "Milk |
| Jan-20 | per 250g" | standard homogenised |
| Feb-20 | 4.54 | per 2L" |
| Mar-20 | 4.77 | 3.63 |
| Apr-20 | 4.44 | 3.64 |
| May-20 | 4.46 | 3.63 |
| Jun-20 | 4.34 | 3.58 |
| Jul-20 | 4.4 | 3.62 |
| Aug-20 | 4.4 | 3.64 |
| Sep-20 | 4.28 | 3.51 |
| Oct-20 | 4.41 | 3.5 |
| Nov-20 | 4.25 | 3.52 |
| Dec-20 | 4.41 | 3.56 |
| Jan-21 | 4.57 | 3.58 |
| Feb-21 | 4.52 | 3.54 |
| Mar-21 | 4.31 | 3.62 |
| Apr-21 | 4.12 | 3.59 |
| May-21 | 4.28 | 3.59 |
| Jun-21 | 4.3 | 3.66 |
| Jul-21 | 4.21 | 3.68 |
| Aug-21 | 4.31 | 3.66 |
| Sep-21 | 4.18 | 3.78 |
| Oct-21 | 4.29 | 3.8 |
| Nov-21 | 4.35 | 3.81 |
| Dec-21 | 4.22 | 3.82 |
| Jan-22 | 4.42 | 3.73 |
| Feb-22 | 4.38 | 3.8 |
| Mar-22 | 4.28 | 3.89 |
| Apr-22 | 4.39 | 3.91 |
| May-22 | 4.38 | 3.88 |
| Jun-22 | 4.46 | 3.97 |
| Jul-22 | 4.5 | 4.02 |
| Aug-22 | 4.58 | 4.04 |
| Sep-22 | 4.42 | 3.97 |
| Oct-22 | 4.54 | 3.99 |
| Nov-22 | 4.54 | 3.98 |
| Dec-22 | 4.54 | 4.03 |
| Jan-23 | 4.53 | 4.05 |
| Feb-23 | 4.75 | 4.05 |
| Mar-23 | 4.66 | 4.03 |
| Apr-23 | 4.86 | 4.04 |
| May-23 | 5.02 | 4.04 |
| Jun-23 | 4.93 | 4.02 |
| Jul-23 | 4.96 | 4.01 |
| Aug-23 | 4.93 | 4.01 |
| Sep-23 | 4.63 | 3.95 |
| Oct-23 | 4.84 | 3.94 |
| Nov-23 | 4.89 | 3.92 |
| Dec-23 | 4.9 | 3.87 |
| Jan-24 | 4.75 | 3.86 |
| Feb-24 | 4.9 | 3.84 |
| Mar-24 | 5.19 | 3.93 |
| Apr-24 | 5.15 | 3.94 |
| May-24 | 5.43 | 3.94 |
| Jun-24 | 5.21 | 3.97 |
| Jul-24 | 5.46 | 3.97 |
| Aug-24 | 5.58 | 4 |
| Sep-24 | 5.56 | 4.05 |
| Oct-24 | 5.31 | 4.06 |
| Nov-24 | 5.05 | 4.1 |
| Dec-24 | 5.33 | 4.21 |
| Jan-25 | 5.07 | 4.24 |
Higher prices for fruit and vegetables, up 2.8 percent, also contributed to the monthly increase in food prices. When adjusted for seasonal effects, fruit and vegetable prices were down 0.6 percent.
"Fruit and vegetable prices typically increase in January months," Growden said.
"Out-of-season produce, such as broccoli, kiwifruit, and apples, contributed the most to the price increase in January."
Excise duty tax increase from 1 January 2025
Alcoholic beverages and tobacco prices increased 2.4 percent in January 2025, driven by higher prices for cigarettes and tobacco.
"The new tobacco excise tax that took effect on January 1, 2025, has driven tobacco prices up," Growden said.
New excise duty rates on the New Zealand Customs website has more information on these changes.
