Food prices in South Africa skyrocket over five years

The rising cost of living in South Africa has become a growing concern for millions of households, with the financial strain of putting food on the table seemingly ever-increasing.

This has played a significant role in the country’s growing malnutrition crisis.

According to the Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity (PMBEJD) Group, the average cost of a household food basket sat at R5,383.38 in December 2024, an over 68% increase from the R3,199.86 in December 2019 – above the general inflation rate of just over 26% during the same period.

Their Household Affordability Indexes show that rising food prices alongside stagnant wages are putting immense pressure on South Africans already facing economic hardships.

Several factors have pushed up food prices in South Africa over the past several years.

The main driver has been the rising cost of agricultural inputs like fertilisers, feed, and energy.

Global supply chain disruptions, worsened by economic instability and political tensions, have also increased import costs for key raw materials.

On top of that, climate change and extreme weather have affected local farming, lowering crop yields and pushing prices even higher.

Regardless, these dramatic increases in prices are not just statistics, but a harsh reality for South Africans, many of whom are now forced to make difficult decisions about their spending.

Families are forced to cut back on other essential, nutritionally-rich foods, ultimately impacting their health and well-being.

Looking at just a core staple food basket, these prices have gone up by nearly 60%, from R1,303.18 in December 2019, to R2,078.68 in December 2024.

The core food basket includes essential items that low-income families in South Africa prioritise to avoid hunger.

These staples form the foundation of their diet and are bought first, even amid price increases, but do not provide a complete nutritional diet.

Looking at the price of core staple foods over the past 5 years in South Africa, these have been:

“When the prices of core foods increase, there is less money to secure other important mostly nutritionally-rich foods, which are essential for health and well-being and strong immune systems,” said the PMBEJD.

“The consequences of high costs on the core foods has a negative impact on overall household health and well-being, and child development,” it added.

Looking at just some of the other items that are not on the core staple food group, most food items have seen exponential increases as well.

The impact this has

Recently, the National Food and Nutrition Security Survey conducted by the Human Sciences Research Council highlighted that South Africa is facing a deepening malnutrition crisis.

Professor Thokozani Simelane, the principal investigator, emphasised that South Africa is experiencing “the triple burden of malnutrition.”

This is where households are struggling with undernutrition, hidden hunger, and overweight or obesity due to inadequate diets.

Many low-income households are unable to afford nutritious food, with only 58.1% of surveyed households maintaining acceptable diets.

The high and seemingly ever-increasing cost of staple foods means that many families must sacrifice nutritional quality for affordability, leading to numerous health risks.

Looking at some of the findings of the survey, in South Africa:

• 17.5% of households are severely food insecure, frequently facing reductions in meal sizes, skipping meals, or going hungry.

• 26.7% experience moderate food insecurity, where they often eat low-quality food and occasionally reduce their food intake.

• 19.3% are mildly food insecure, worried about food availability and quality but without needing to significantly reduce their intake.

• 36.5% of households are considered food-secure, experiencing minimal concern about accessing sufficient food.

The survey highlighted that the primary factors contributing to malnutrition in South Africa include that of poverty and the rising cost of food.

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