{"id":804519,"date":"2024-12-21T17:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-12-21T15:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/?p=804519"},"modified":"2024-12-20T15:15:22","modified_gmt":"2024-12-20T13:15:22","slug":"the-most-expensive-province-for-groceries-in-south-africa-at-the-end-of-2024","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/lifestyle\/804519\/the-most-expensive-province-for-groceries-in-south-africa-at-the-end-of-2024\/","title":{"rendered":"The most expensive province for groceries in South Africa at the end of 2024"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

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

The PMBEJD\u2019s latest Household Food Basket report reveals significant disparities in food costs across South Africa\u2019s three largest economic hubs, with Johannesburg standing out as the priciest city for essential groceries, surpassing both Durban and Cape Town by a considerable margin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The report, based on data collected up to November 2024, tracks the price of a food basket comprising 44 essential items that reflect typical purchasing patterns of South African households. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The average cost of the basket nationally reached R5,361.04, marking a 0.9% annual increase\u2014a relatively modest rise of R46.40 compared to the same period in 2023. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Encouragingly, this year\u2019s increase in food prices is below the annual consumer price inflation (CPI) rate, which reached 2.9% in November 2024, up slightly from 2.8% in October. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stats SA has noted that food inflation is now at its lowest level in 14 years, offering some relief to consumers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, the overall cost of food remains a concern, particularly in urban centres like Johannesburg, where prices continue to outpace the national average.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Johannesburg\u2019s household food basket rose by R145.95 (2.7%) over the past year, reaching R5,556.44 in November 2024\u2014R195.40 higher than the national average. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This positions Johannesburg as the most expensive metro in the country for groceries. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In contrast, Durban, KwaZulu-Natal\u2019s largest city, experienced a more modest increase of 0.7%. The food basket in Durban climbed by R36.68, reaching R5,306.38, only slightly above the national average. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cape Town, meanwhile, remains the cheapest of the three metros, with food prices increasing by just R12.04 (0.2%) year-on-year, bringing the cost of the basket to R5,260.43\u2014R296 less than Johannesburg.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While food price inflation has slowed overall, not all items have seen relief. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The PMBEJD\u2019s report shows that prices for 14 of the 44 tracked food items declined year-on-year, offering some reprieve for households. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vegetables such as butternut and potatoes saw the most significant drops, with butternut prices falling by 36% and potatoes by 14%. These reductions have helped offset some of the pressures on overall grocery costs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, the majority of items in the food basket\u201430 out of 44\u2014recorded price increases, with four items experiencing double-digit inflation over the year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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