Statistics New Zealand

03/17/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 03/16/2026 15:54

Annual food prices increase 4.5 percent

Annual food prices increase 4.5 percent

17 March 2026, 10:45am

17 March 2026: We have corrected the January 2026 food price index data released in Selected price indexes: January 2026 on 17 February 2026. We apologise for the inconvenience. The corrected data is included in this release.

Error notification: Food price index (FPI) for January 2026 provides more information.

Food prices increased 4.5 percent in the 12 months to February 2026, following a 4.2 percent rise in the 12 months to January 2026, according to figures released by Stats NZ today.

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Created with Highcharts 11.4.8MonthPercentFood prices, annual percentage change, February 2020-February 2026Feb-20May-20Aug-20Nov-20Feb-21May-21Aug-21Nov-21Feb-22May-22Aug-22Nov-22Feb-23May-23Aug-23Nov-23Feb-24May-24Aug-24Nov-24Feb-25May-25Aug-25Nov-25Feb-26-202468101214Stats NZ

Food prices, annual percentage change, February 2020-February 2026

Created with Highcharts 11.4.8PercentFood prices, annual percentage change, February 2020-February 2026Annual percentage changeFeb-20Jun-20Oct-20Feb-21Jun-21Oct-21Feb-22Jun-22Oct-22Feb-23Jun-23Oct-23Feb-24Jun-24Oct-24Feb-25Jun-25Oct-25Feb-26-5051015Stats NZ
Month Annual percentage change
Feb-20 3.1
Mar-20 3.3
Apr-20 4.4
May-20 2.9
Jun-20 4.1
Jul-20 4.2
Aug-20 4.2
Sep-20 3.1
Oct-20 2.7
Nov-20 2.6
Dec-20 2.9
Jan-21 2.1
Feb-21 1.2
Mar-21 0.5
Apr-21 0.7
May-21 1.8
Jun-21 2.8
Jul-21 2.8
Aug-21 2.4
Sep-21 4
Oct-21 3.7
Nov-21 4
Dec-21 4.5
Jan-22 5.9
Feb-22 6.8
Mar-22 7.6
Apr-22 6.4
May-22 6.8
Jun-22 6.6
Jul-22 7.4
Aug-22 8.3
Sep-22 8.3
Oct-22 10.1
Nov-22 10.7
Dec-22 11.3
Jan-23 10.3
Feb-23 12
Mar-23 12.1
Apr-23 12.5
May-23 12.1
Jun-23 12.5
Jul-23 9.6
Aug-23 8.9
Sep-23 8
Oct-23 6.3
Nov-23 6
Dec-23 4.8
Jan-24 4.2
Feb-24 2.1
Mar-24 0.7
Apr-24 0.8
May-24 0.2
Jun-24 -0.3
Jul-24 0.6
Aug-24 0.4
Sep-24 1.2
Oct-24 1.2
Nov-24 1.3
Dec-24 1.5
Jan-25 2.3
Feb-25 2.4
Mar-25 3.5
Apr-25 3.7
May-25 4.4
Jun-25 4.6
Jul-25 5
Aug-25 5
Sep-25 4.1
Oct-25 4.7
Nov-25 4.4
Dec-25 4
Jan-26 4.2
Feb-26 4.5

Higher prices for the meat, poultry, and fish group, up 7.5 percent, contributed the most to the annual increase in food prices. This was followed by fruit and vegetables, up 9.4 percent annually.

The average price for:

  • beef porterhouse/sirloin steak was $44.71 per kilogram (previously $36.80), up 21.5 percent annually
  • a chocolate block was $6.88 per 250 grams (previously $5.72), up 20.3 percent annually
  • beef mince was $24.46 per kilogram (previously $19.86), up 23.2 percent annually
  • olive oil was $17.62 per litre (previously $22.63), down 22.1 percent annually
  • fresh eggs was $8.77 per dozen (previously $9.35), down 6.2 percent annually
  • potato crisps was $2.14 per 150 grams (previously $2.21), down 3.2 percent annually.
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Created with Highcharts 11.4.8Month$/kgBeef mince, weighted average price, February 2020-February 2026Feb-20May-20Aug-20Nov-20Feb-21May-21Aug-21Nov-21Feb-22May-22Aug-22Nov-22Feb-23May-23Aug-23Nov-23Feb-24May-24Aug-24Nov-24Feb-25May-25Aug-25Nov-25Feb-2614161820222426Stats NZ

Beef mince, weighted average price, February 2020-February 2026

Created with Highcharts 11.4.8$/kgBeef mince, weighted average price, February 2020-February 2026Beef mince, weighted average priceFeb-20Jun-20Oct-20Feb-21Jun-21Oct-21Feb-22Jun-22Oct-22Feb-23Jun-23Oct-23Feb-24Jun-24Oct-24Feb-25Jun-25Oct-25Feb-2614161820222426Stats NZ
Month Beef mince, weighted average price
Feb-20 16.71
Mar-20 16.49
Apr-20 17.03
May-20 16.43
Jun-20 16.43
Jul-20 16.9
Aug-20 16.84
Sep-20 16.29
Oct-20 16.4
Nov-20 16.68
Dec-20 16.42
Jan-21 16.39
Feb-21 16.06
Mar-21 15.92
Apr-21 16.02
May-21 15.88
Jun-21 16.03
Jul-21 16.15
Aug-21 16.09
Sep-21 16.6
Oct-21 16.57
Nov-21 16.71
Dec-21 16.49
Jan-22 17.3
Feb-22 17.66
Mar-22 17.58
Apr-22 18.17
May-22 18.07
Jun-22 17.8
Jul-22 18.14
Aug-22 18.21
Sep-22 18.59
Oct-22 18.72
Nov-22 18.89
Dec-22 18.57
Jan-23 19.1
Feb-23 18.72
Mar-23 18.68
Apr-23 19.05
May-23 19.2
Jun-23 18.6
Jul-23 18.81
Aug-23 19.14
Sep-23 18.87
Oct-23 18.41
Nov-23 18.55
Dec-23 18.33
Jan-24 18.03
Feb-24 17.93
Mar-24 17.99
Apr-24 18.12
May-24 18.52
Jun-24 18.8
Jul-24 18.41
Aug-24 19.13
Sep-24 19.64
Oct-24 19.63
Nov-24 19.73
Dec-24 19.82
Jan-25 20.08
Feb-25 19.86
Mar-25 19.96
Apr-25 20.3
May-25 20.92
Jun-25 21.73
Jul-25 21.97
Aug-25 22.53
Sep-25 23.11
Oct-25 23.17
Nov-25 22.76
Dec-25 23.21
Jan-26 23.71
Feb-26 24.46

"The average price per kilogram of beef mince is now $4.60 more than the same period in 2025," prices and deflators spokesperson Nicola Growden said.

"This is the largest annual price increase in beef mince prices since the series began in June 2006."

"Kiwis may have seen cheaper prices for some snacks, with the cost of potato crisps, sweets, and chocolate biscuits decreasing over the last 12 months."

Monthly food prices decrease by 0.1 percent in February

Food prices fell 0.1 percent in February 2026 compared with January 2026. The grocery food group contributed the most to the monthly decrease, down 0.4 percent, followed by fruit and vegetables, down 0.8 percent, and meat, poultry, and fish, down 0.1 percent.

Meanwhile, higher prices were recorded for restaurant meals and ready-to-eat food, up 0.3 percent, followed by the non-alcoholic beverages group, up 0.5 percent.

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Created with Highcharts 11.4.8MonthPercentFood prices, monthly percentage change, February 2020-February 2026Feb-20May-20Aug-20Nov-20Feb-21May-21Aug-21Nov-21Feb-22May-22Aug-22Nov-22Feb-23May-23Aug-23Nov-23Feb-24May-24Aug-24Nov-24Feb-25May-25Aug-25Nov-25Feb-26-2-10123Stats NZ

Food prices, monthly percentage change, February 2020-February 2026

Created with Highcharts 11.4.8PercentFood prices, monthly percentage change, February 2020-February 2026Monthly percentage changeFeb-20Jun-20Oct-20Feb-21Jun-21Oct-21Feb-22Jun-22Oct-22Feb-23Jun-23Oct-23Feb-24Jun-24Oct-24Feb-25Jun-25Oct-25Feb-26-2-10123Stats NZ
Month Monthly percentage change
Feb-20 0
Mar-20 0.7
Apr-20 1
May-20 -0.8
Jun-20 0.5
Jul-20 1.2
Aug-20 0.7
Sep-20 -1
Oct-20 -0.7
Nov-20 -0.9
Dec-20 0.1
Jan-21 1.3
Feb-21 -0.9
Mar-21 0
Apr-21 1.1
May-21 0.4
Jun-21 1.4
Jul-21 1.3
Aug-21 0.3
Sep-21 0.5
Oct-21 -0.9
Nov-21 -0.6
Dec-21 0.6
Jan-22 2.7
Feb-22 -0.1
Mar-22 0.7
Apr-22 0.1
May-22 0.7
Jun-22 1.2
Jul-22 2.1
Aug-22 1.1
Sep-22 0.4
Oct-22 0.8
Nov-22 0
Dec-22 1.1
Jan-23 1.7
Feb-23 1.5
Mar-23 0.8
Apr-23 0.5
May-23 0.3
Jun-23 1.6
Jul-23 -0.5
Aug-23 0.5
Sep-23 -0.4
Oct-23 -0.9
Nov-23 -0.2
Dec-23 -0.1
Jan-24 1.2
Feb-24 -0.6
Mar-24 -0.5
Apr-24 0.6
May-24 -0.2
Jun-24 1
Jul-24 0.4
Aug-24 0.2
Sep-24 0.5
Oct-24 -0.9
Nov-24 -0.1
Dec-24 0.1
Jan-25 1.9
Feb-25 -0.5
Mar-25 0.5
Apr-25 0.8
May-25 0.5
Jun-25 1.2
Jul-25 0.7
Aug-25 0.3
Sep-25 -0.4
Oct-25 -0.3
Nov-25 -0.4
Dec-25 -0.3
Jan-26 2.1
Feb-26 -0.1

The average price for:

  • boxed chocolates was $8.73 per 250 grams (previously $12.55), down 30.4 percent monthly
  • apples was $5.01 per kilogram (previously $6.32), down 20.7 percent monthly
  • soft drinks was $3.52 per 1.5 litres (previously $3.30), up 6.7 percent monthly
  • chocolate block was $6.88 per 250 grams (previously $6.46), up 6.5 percent monthly

"Boxed chocolates were $3.82 cheaper this month than January 2026. There is often a price decrease in February that coincides with Valentine's Day," Growden said.

Domestic and international airfares up over the year

Domestic and international airfares increased in the 12 months to February 2026, up 10.6 percent and 1.8 percent respectively.

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Created with Highcharts 11.4.8MonthPercentDomestic and international airfares, annual percentage change, February​2023-February 2026Domestic airfaresInternational airfaresFeb-23Apr-23Jun-23Aug-23Oct-23Dec-23Feb-24Apr-24Jun-24Aug-24Oct-24Dec-24Feb-25Apr-25Jun-25Aug-25Oct-25Dec-25Feb-260-50-25255075Stats NZ

Domestic and international airfares, annual percentage change, February 2023-February 2026

Created with Highcharts 11.4.8PercentDomestic and international airfares, annual percentage change, February​2023-February 2026Domestic airfaresInternational airfaresFeb-23Apr-23Jun-23Aug-23Oct-23Dec-23Feb-24Apr-24Jun-24Aug-24Oct-24Dec-24Feb-25Apr-25Jun-25Aug-25Oct-25Dec-25Feb-26-50-250255075Stats NZ
Month Domestic airfares International airfares
Feb-23 49.9 -6.4
Mar-23 55.7 8.7
Apr-23 36.5 26.6
May-23 27.2 10
Jun-23 30.3 16.9
Jul-23 30.7 -2.9
Aug-23 24.1 -7.4
Sept-23 9.8 0.5
Oct-23 -6.5 -15.8
Nov-23 1.3 -15.8
Dec-23 0.2 -15.2
Jan-24 -5.2 -31.5
Feb-24 7.7 -10.2
Mar-24 1.4 -15.1
Apr-24 -6.9 -20.5
May-24 -0.7 -8.5
Jun-24 -4.2 -11.3
Jul-24 -15.4 -10.6
Aug-24 -8.5 -7.2
Sept-24 -9.6 -9.7
Oct-24 2.4 -2.8
Nov-24 9.6 -1.8
Dec-24 2.8 -10.3
Jan-25 15.5 0.9
Feb-25 3.7 -5
Mar-25 1.1 -4.8
Apr-25 10.6 10.7
May-25 -3.7 -1.5
Jun-25 -1.7 1.9
Jul-25 -5 7.1
Aug-25 -8.6 -3
Sept-25 2.1 6.9
Oct-25 -11 0.7
Nov-25 -14.4 3.9
Dec-25 -1.2 6.6
Jan-26 -5.5 4
Feb-26 10.6 1.8

"This is the largest annual increase in domestic airfares in a February month since 2023," Growden said.

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Statistics New Zealand published this content on March 17, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on March 16, 2026 at 21:54 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]