Wellington, Nov 17 (IANS) New Zealand’s annual food inflation reached 4.7 per cent in October 2025, marking an increase from 4.1 per cent recorded in September, according to data released by Stats NZ. The grocery food category led the surge with a 4.9 per cent rise, while prices of meat, poultry and fish climbed 7.6 per cent over the year.
Several everyday items saw steep increases: milk became 13.5 per cent costlier, instant coffee surged 25.5 per cent, cheese jumped 30.1 per cent and fresh eggs rose 18.5 per cent. Stats NZ spokesperson Nicola Growden noted that consumers enjoying a typical breakfast of eggs and coffee would particularly feel the price pressure. However, on a monthly basis, food prices dipped 0.3 per cent in October, mainly due to a significant 10.7 per cent drop in vegetable prices — the sharpest fall since November 2021.
Electricity and gas prices also continued their upward trend, rising 11.8 per cent and 14.4 per cent annually, respectively, marking the 11th consecutive month of increases. Earlier data showed the cost of living rose 2.4 per cent in the year to the September 2025 quarter, slightly lower than the 3 per cent Consumer Price Index inflation, due largely to a notable 15.4 per cent decline in mortgage interest payments.
Household impacts varied widely, with higher-spending households experiencing just 0.8 per cent inflation, while superannuitants faced 3.9 per cent. Rising electricity and rent costs disproportionately affected low-spending households and beneficiaries, highlighting persistent inequality in cost-of-living pressures across New Zealand.
