Food prices increased 3.5 percent in the 12 months to March 2025, following a 2.4 percent increase in the 12 months to February 2025, according to figures released by Stats NZ today.
| Month | Annual percentage change |
| Mar-19 | 1.2 |
| Apr-19 | 1 |
| May-19 | 1.7 |
| Jun-19 | 0.5 |
| Jul-19 | 0.9 |
| Aug-19 | 2.1 |
| Sep-19 | 2.2 |
| Oct-19 | 2.5 |
| Nov-19 | 2.4 |
| Dec-19 | 2.4 |
| Jan-20 | 3.5 |
| Feb-20 | 3.1 |
| Mar-20 | 3.3 |
| Apr-20 | 4.4 |
| May-20 | 2.9 |
| Jun-20 | 4.1 |
| Jul-20 | 4.2 |
| Aug-20 | 4.2 |
| Sep-20 | 3.1 |
| Oct-20 | 2.7 |
| Nov-20 | 2.6 |
| Dec-20 | 2.9 |
| Jan-21 | 2.1 |
| Feb-21 | 1.2 |
| Mar-21 | 0.5 |
| Apr-21 | 0.7 |
| May-21 | 1.8 |
| Jun-21 | 2.8 |
| Jul-21 | 2.8 |
| Aug-21 | 2.4 |
| Sep-21 | 4 |
| Oct-21 | 3.7 |
| Nov-21 | 4 |
| Dec-21 | 4.5 |
| Jan-22 | 5.9 |
| Feb-22 | 6.8 |
| Mar-22 | 7.6 |
| Apr-22 | 6.4 |
| May-22 | 6.8 |
| Jun-22 | 6.6 |
| Jul-22 | 7.4 |
| Aug-22 | 8.3 |
| Sep-22 | 8.3 |
| Oct-22 | 10.1 |
| Nov-22 | 10.7 |
| Dec-22 | 11.3 |
| Jan-23 | 10.3 |
| Feb-23 | 12 |
| Mar-23 | 12.1 |
| Apr-23 | 12.5 |
| May-23 | 12.1 |
| Jun-23 | 12.5 |
| Jul-23 | 9.6 |
| Aug-23 | 8.9 |
| Sep-23 | 8 |
| Oct-23 | 6.3 |
| Nov-23 | 6 |
| Dec-23 | 4.8 |
| Jan-24 | 4.2 |
| Feb-24 | 2.1 |
| Mar-24 | 0.7 |
| Apr-24 | 0.8 |
| May-24 | 0.2 |
| Jun-24 | -0.3 |
| Jul-24 | 0.6 |
| Aug-24 | 0.4 |
| Sep-24 | 1.2 |
| Oct-24 | 1.2 |
| Nov-24 | 1.3 |
| Dec-24 | 1.5 |
| Jan-25 | 2.3 |
| Feb-25 | 2.4 |
| Mar-25 | 3.5 |
Higher prices for the grocery food group and the meat, poultry, and fish group contributed most to the annual increase in food prices, up 5.1 percent and 5.3 percent, respectively.
Partly offsetting the increase in food prices was lower prices for the fruit and vegetables group, with prices down 2.7 percent in the 12 months to March 2025, following a 6.2 percent decrease in the 12 months to February 2025.
| Month | Annual percentage change |
| Mar-19 | -2.6 |
| Apr-19 | -4.1 |
| May-19 | -1.4 |
| Jun-19 | -8.8 |
| Jul-19 | -9.3 |
| Aug-19 | -4.6 |
| Sep-19 | -1 |
| Oct-19 | -0.2 |
| Nov-19 | 0.4 |
| Dec-19 | 3.6 |
| Jan-20 | 2.7 |
| Feb-20 | -0.3 |
| Mar-20 | -1 |
| Apr-20 | 2.7 |
| May-20 | 3.6 |
| Jun-20 | 10 |
| Jul-20 | 18.6 |
| Aug-20 | 18.9 |
| Sep-20 | 11.4 |
| Oct-20 | 10.3 |
| Nov-20 | 9.6 |
| Dec-20 | 8.9 |
| Jan-21 | 6.9 |
| Feb-21 | 5.1 |
| Mar-21 | 2.3 |
| Apr-21 | 6 |
| May-21 | 4.1 |
| Jun-21 | 9.6 |
| Jul-21 | 4.9 |
| Aug-21 | 2.1 |
| Sep-21 | 9.3 |
| Oct-21 | 9 |
| Nov-21 | 5.6 |
| Dec-21 | 6.9 |
| Jan-22 | 15.4 |
| Feb-22 | 17.3 |
| Mar-22 | 18.3 |
| Apr-22 | 9.4 |
| May-22 | 10 |
| Jun-22 | 5.5 |
| Jul-22 | 10.4 |
| Aug-22 | 14.5 |
| Sep-22 | 16.2 |
| Oct-22 | 17.1 |
| Nov-22 | 19.5 |
| Dec-22 | 23.3 |
| Jan-23 | 15.7 |
| Feb-23 | 23.1 |
| Mar-23 | 22.2 |
| Apr-23 | 22.5 |
| May-23 | 18.4 |
| Jun-23 | 22 |
| Jul-23 | 6.2 |
| Aug-23 | 5.4 |
| Sep-23 | 1.4 |
| Oct-23 | 3.3 |
| Nov-23 | 4.8 |
| Dec-23 | 1.5 |
| Jan-24 | 0.4 |
| Feb-24 | -9.3 |
| Mar-24 | -13.3 |
| Apr-24 | -13 |
| May-24 | -11.4 |
| Jun-24 | -16.1 |
| Jul-24 | -8.5 |
| Aug-24 | -12.2 |
| Sep-24 | -8.3 |
| Oct-24 | -8.9 |
| Nov-24 | -8.5 |
| Dec-24 | -8 |
| Jan-25 | -7.2 |
| Feb-25 | -6.2 |
| Mar-25 | -2.7 |
The price increase for grocery food was due to higher prices for milk, butter, and chocolate.
Milk prices increased 16.0 percent while butter prices increased 63.6 percent in the 12 months to March 2025.
"The average price for a 250g block of chocolate was $5.99 in March 2025, that's $1.60 more expensive than three years ago," prices and deflators spokesperson Nicola Growden said.
| Month | "Chocolate block |
| Mar-22 | per 250 grams" |
| Apr-22 | 4.39 |
| May-22 | 4.38 |
| Jun-22 | 4.46 |
| Jul-22 | 4.5 |
| Aug-22 | 4.58 |
| Sep-22 | 4.42 |
| Oct-22 | 4.54 |
| Nov-22 | 4.54 |
| Dec-22 | 4.54 |
| Jan-23 | 4.53 |
| Feb-23 | 4.75 |
| Mar-23 | 4.66 |
| Apr-23 | 4.86 |
| May-23 | 5.02 |
| Jun-23 | 4.93 |
| Jul-23 | 4.96 |
| Aug-23 | 4.93 |
| Sep-23 | 4.63 |
| Oct-23 | 4.84 |
| Nov-23 | 4.89 |
| Dec-23 | 4.9 |
| Jan-24 | 4.75 |
| Feb-24 | 4.9 |
| Mar-24 | 5.19 |
| Apr-24 | 5.15 |
| May-24 | 5.43 |
| Jun-24 | 5.21 |
| Jul-24 | 5.46 |
| Aug-24 | 5.58 |
| Sep-24 | 5.56 |
| Oct-24 | 5.31 |
| Nov-24 | 5.05 |
| Dec-24 | 5.33 |
| Jan-25 | 5.07 |
| Feb-25 | 5.72 |
| Mar-25 | 5.72 |
The price increase for meat, poultry, and fish was due to higher prices for beef steak, lamb leg, and beef mince.
"The weighted average price of 1kg of beef mince was $19.96 in March 2025, nearly $2 more expensive than this time last year," Growden said.
| Month | "Beef mince |
| Mar-19 | per 1kg" |
| Apr-19 | 14.43 |
| May-19 | 15.07 |
| Jun-19 | 14.56 |
| Jul-19 | 15.44 |
| Aug-19 | 15.39 |
| Sep-19 | 16.21 |
| Oct-19 | 16.15 |
| Nov-19 | 16.1 |
| Dec-19 | 15.67 |
| Jan-20 | 16.11 |
| Feb-20 | 17.07 |
| Mar-20 | 16.71 |
| Apr-20 | 16.49 |
| May-20 | 17.03 |
| Jun-20 | 16.43 |
| Jul-20 | 16.43 |
| Aug-20 | 16.9 |
| Sep-20 | 16.84 |
| Oct-20 | 16.29 |
| Nov-20 | 16.4 |
| Dec-20 | 16.68 |
| Jan-21 | 16.42 |
| Feb-21 | 16.39 |
| Mar-21 | 16.06 |
| Apr-21 | 15.92 |
| May-21 | 16.02 |
| Jun-21 | 15.88 |
| Jul-21 | 16.03 |
| Aug-21 | 16.15 |
| Sep-21 | 16.09 |
| Oct-21 | 16.6 |
| Nov-21 | 16.57 |
| Dec-21 | 16.71 |
| Jan-22 | 16.49 |
| Feb-22 | 17.3 |
| Mar-22 | 17.66 |
| Apr-22 | 17.58 |
| May-22 | 18.17 |
| Jun-22 | 18.07 |
| Jul-22 | 17.8 |
| Aug-22 | 18.14 |
| Sep-22 | 18.21 |
| Oct-22 | 18.59 |
| Nov-22 | 18.72 |
| Dec-22 | 18.89 |
| Jan-23 | 18.57 |
| Feb-23 | 19.1 |
| Mar-23 | 18.72 |
| Apr-23 | 18.68 |
| May-23 | 19.05 |
| Jun-23 | 19.2 |
| Jul-23 | 18.6 |
| Aug-23 | 18.81 |
| Sep-23 | 19.14 |
| Oct-23 | 18.87 |
| Nov-23 | 18.41 |
| Dec-23 | 18.55 |
| Jan-24 | 18.33 |
| Feb-24 | 18.03 |
| Mar-24 | 17.93 |
| Apr-24 | 17.99 |
| May-24 | 18.12 |
| Jun-24 | 18.52 |
| Jul-24 | 18.8 |
| Aug-24 | 18.41 |
| Sep-24 | 19.13 |
| Oct-24 | 19.64 |
| Nov-24 | 19.63 |
| Dec-24 | 19.73 |
| Jan-25 | 19.82 |
| Feb-25 | 20.08 |
| Mar-25 | 19.86 |
Food prices rise 0.5 percent in the month
Food prices rose 0.5 percent in March 2025, following a 0.5 percent fall in February 2025.
| Month | Monthly percentage change |
| Mar-19 | 0.5 |
| Apr-19 | -0.1 |
| May-19 | 0.7 |
| Jun-19 | -0.7 |
| Jul-19 | 1.1 |
| Aug-19 | 0.7 |
| Sep-19 | 0 |
| Oct-19 | -0.3 |
| Nov-19 | -0.7 |
| Dec-19 | -0.2 |
| Jan-20 | 2.1 |
| Feb-20 | 0 |
| Mar-20 | 0.7 |
| Apr-20 | 1 |
| May-20 | -0.8 |
| Jun-20 | 0.5 |
| Jul-20 | 1.2 |
| Aug-20 | 0.7 |
| Sep-20 | -1 |
| Oct-20 | -0.7 |
| Nov-20 | -0.9 |
| Dec-20 | 0.1 |
| Jan-21 | 1.3 |
| Feb-21 | -0.9 |
| Mar-21 | 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Feb-25 | -0.5 |
| Mar-25 | 0.5 |
Higher prices for grocery food and non-alcoholic beverages drove the increase in food prices in March 2025, up 0.9 and 1.1 percent, respectively.
Higher prices for chocolate and yoghurt drove the increase in grocery food prices, while higher prices for instant coffee and soft drinks drove the increase in non-alcoholic beverage prices.
Rent prices up 0.3 in March
Rental prices for housing rose 0.3 percent in March 2025, following a 0.2 percent rise in February 2025.
The data used to compile rental prices for Selected price indexes: February 2025 was incomplete. This data has now been updated and the stock measure for actual rentals for housing for February 2025 and March 2025 is included in this release.
