Bad news for braai lovers in South Africa
Although food inflation in South Africa continues to slow, the latest Braai Index indicates that prices are still rising due to sustained pressure from higher energy costs.
The index, which tracks a basket of food items used for hosting a braai, increased by 0.9% between June and July 2026, reflecting rising price pressure.
Although the increase was modest, it is consistent with the average household food basket reported by the Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity (PMBEJD) group, which rose by 0.5% from June 2026.
The main factor driving recent price increases is the rise in energy and fuel costs.
This surge is a direct second-round effect of the Iran War, which led to a significant spike in global energy and fuel prices between April and June 2026.
While the war appeared to settle down in July, prices spiked mid-month as the conflict flared up once again.
Regardless, the sharp spikes earlier in the year continued to affect supply chains and influence retail food prices.
This fuel-driven pressure was also the primary reason behind South Africa’s headline inflation rising to 4.5% in May.
The Braai Index is compiled monthly by BusinessTech using pricing data from the PMBEJD group. Its methodology originated from Bloomberg.
The PMBEJD’s data reflect actual prices across South Africa’s major provinces and include items typically found in the shopping baskets of most South African households.
The basket consists of meat (beef, wors, chicken portions), vegetables (spinach, carrots, tomatoes, potatoes, onions, green peppers), and other items (samp, maize, curry powder, salt).
It’s important to note that the index is based on data from PMBEJD, which excludes other protein sources like pork and lamb; therefore, these alternatives are not included in the analysis.
In July, the main upward drivers for the braai basket included maize meal, which increased by R12.93; frozen chicken portions, which increased by R10.56; tomatoes, rising by R7.04; and Wors, which rose by R6.22.
These price increases were partially offset by significant drops in the prices of certain vegetables, particularly carrots, which decreased by R9.52, and onions, which dropped by R6.16.
Braai Index July 2026 Month-on-Month [+0.9%]
Braai Index July 2026 Year-on-Year [+2.6%]
The official Consumer Price Index (CPI) report by Stats SA for July 2026 is scheduled for publication on August 19, 2026, with a one-month lag.
In June 2026, headline inflation unexpectedly surged to 5.0%, marking its highest level since June 2024, when it reached 5.1%.
This increase in inflation can be attributed to geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, which resulted in a 34.3% annual rise in fuel prices, alongside significant increases in minibus taxi fares, which rose by 11.5% in June alone.
Food and non-alcoholic beverage inflation continued to decline, moderating to 1.6% in June, while prices for white rice fell by 13.4%, and maize meal fell by 5.9%.
The unexpectedly high inflation rate in June has led to speculation that the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) may maintain elevated interest rates or raise them further.
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