{"id":796502,"date":"2024-10-23T18:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-10-23T16:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/?p=796502"},"modified":"2024-10-24T12:22:47","modified_gmt":"2024-10-24T10:22:47","slug":"most-expensive-province-to-buy-groceries-in-south-africa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/lifestyle\/796502\/most-expensive-province-to-buy-groceries-in-south-africa\/","title":{"rendered":"Most expensive province to buy groceries in South Africa"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Gauteng has been identified as the most expensive province in South Africa to buy groceries, according to data from the Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity (PMBEJD) group.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The PMBEJD tracks the cost of a typical household food basket across different regions, and its latest report reveals a stark difference in grocery costs between the country\u2019s three main economic hubs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Johannesburg, the largest city in Gauteng, stands out as the priciest, surpassing Durban and Cape Town significantly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The latest PMBEJD data, which covers September 2024, shows that the cost of its household food basket has continued to rise, reflecting broader trends in food inflation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the PMBEJD, the average cost of the basket, which includes 44 essential food items, was R5,255.68 in September 2024, representing a 1.9% increase (R99.91) compared to the same month in 2023. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The month-on-month increase, although smaller, was still notable at 0.5%, or R28.54.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This modest increase of 1.9% is lower than the annual consumer price inflation, which was 4.4% in August 2024, down from 4,6% in July 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This CPI data, released by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA), indicated a slight cooling in food inflation compared to earlier months, where the CPI for food peaked at 5.1% in June 2024. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While food inflation has slowed, it remains an ongoing concern for South African consumers, especially in urban areas like Johannesburg, where grocery costs are significantly higher.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The PMBEJD’s household food basket is designed to reflect the purchasing patterns of households in South Africa. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The items included in the basket represent what an average household might buy on a monthly basis. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While this basket caters to lower-income groups, its findings offer valuable insight into broader food price trends that affect all consumers across the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The report notes that 13 of the 44 food items tracked in the basket saw a year-on-year decrease in price, offering some relief to consumers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vegetables such as onions and butternut led the way in price drops, with onions decreasing by 34% and butternut falling by 32%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite these reductions, however, 31 items in the basket saw price increases over the past year, with nine of these items experiencing double-digit inflation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Notably, three of these products saw price hikes of over 20%, reflecting ongoing pressures on certain food categories:<\/p>\n\n\n\n