Cape Town — StatsSA has revealed that consumer inflation increased for a second consecutive month, rising to 3.0% in December for a total increase of 0.1%.
In a statement, StatsSA said that food and non-alcoholic beverages (NAB) rose by 2.5% in December, with bread & cereals remaining steady at 3.7%. Several wheat-based products declined from November to December, including instant noodles (down 2.2%), cake flour (down 1.1%), macaroni (down 1.1% and brown bread (down 0.6%).
Several meat products also reduced significantly including sausages (3.3%), pork (2.2%) and chicken (1.7%). However, some products increased in price including beef extract (5.1%), bacon (4.8%) and ham (4.2%).
Hot beverages rose by a mammoth 13.5%, the highest annual rate among all food and NAB groups. Instant coffee was 16,.1% more expensive in December 2024 than it was in December 2024, while black tea (14.2%), drinking chocolate (14.1%) ground coffee (8.0%) rooibos tea (7.8%) and cappuccino sachets (3.8%) also rose in price.
#ZAinflation || Consumer price inflation edged higher in December, rising to 3,0% from 2,9% in November.
Listen here for more: https://t.co/CcrZfcLMeO
#StatsSA #ZACPI #GovZAupdates pic.twitter.com/l7yAmPxAMK— Stats SA (@StatsSA) January 22, 2025
Among the other notable price changes include housing rents (2.8% down in the fourth quarter of 2024) while the fuel index rose by 1.1% from November to December. However, fuel remains 10.2% lower than it was in December 2023.
Domestic worker wages – also measured quarterly – recorded an annual increase of 4,0% in the fourth quarter of 2024, down from 4,1% in the third quarter of 2024.
Inflation for restaurants & hotels slowed to 4,2% in December from 5,9% in November. This was largely due to a decline in hotel room rates between November and December.
The data for December concludes the results for 2024. The average inflation rate for the year was 4,4%, down from the average of 6,0% in 2023. Inflation in 2024 was the lowest in four years since the pandemic in 2020 when the average rate was 3,3%.
#ZAinflation || The latest #ZACPI data concludes the results for 2024. The average inflation rate for the year was 4,4%, down from an average of 6,0% in 2023.
Read more here: https://t.co/dR4qpxXnMW
#StatsSA #GovZAupdates pic.twitter.com/VzZbRLgr6A— Stats SA (@StatsSA) January 22, 2025
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Compiled by Matthew Petersen
