Bad news for braai lovers kicking off 2025
The cost of hosting a braai in South Africa was flat in December 2024 but more expensive than a year ago, putting households on the back foot heading into the new year.
This is according to the latest Braai index, conceptualised by Bloomberg and compiled using the latest data from the Pietermaritzburg Equity Justice and Dignity (PMGEJD) for December.
The index looks at the food items used in the preparation of braai, and tracks the movement in prices of this specific basket month-on-month and year-on-year.
This includes meat (Beef, wors, chicken portions), vegetables (spinach, carrots, tomatoes, potatoes, onions, green pepper) and others (samp, maize, curry powder, salt).
To compile its survey, the PMBEJD’s data collectors track food prices on the shelves of 47 supermarkets and 32 butcheries that target the low-income market in the greater areas of Johannesburg, Durban, Cape Town, Pietermaritzburg, Springbok in the far northwest and the far northeastern town of Mtubatuba.
The month-on-month index showed prices for a braai were flat at 0.0%.
Year-on-year, prices were up 4.0%.
Month-on-month pricing between November and December was only 70 cents more expensive. Between December 2023 and 2024, however, the costs were over R70 more expensive.
One of the biggest drivers behind the change is the much higher prices for maize meal and vegetables like tomatoes and spinach – so if you want to keep prices down, you’d have to cut these from the menu.
The Braai Index is out of step with the latest inflation figures, which cover November 2024 – implying that some costs, especially for vegetables, increased in the final month of the year. The December 2024 CPI figures will be published later in January 2025.
Annual inflation for food & non-alcoholic beverages (NAB) witnessed another sharp decline in November, slowing to 2.3% from 3.6% in October.
This marks the lowest inflation rate for the category since December 2010, when it stood at 1.6%.
Eight of the 11 food & NAB groups registered lower rates, including vegetables; milk, eggs & cheese; hot beverages; bread & cereals; cold beverages; meat; sugar, sweets & desserts; and the miscellaneous category ‘other’ food. Fish inflation was flat, while oils & fats and fruit recorded steeper price increases.
Month-on-month index change [0.0%]
Year-on-year index change [+4.0%]
Loading ...
