The price of food seems to be off the charts these days, and watching that final figure climb at checkout isn’t good for the blood pressure.

If you’re chasing savings, Pick n Pay was the only store to see price reductions, compared to Spar, Woolworths and Checkers over the last year, according to data released by BankservAfrica back in April.

Checkers saw the most price freezes (prices that didn’t change), and with that new swanky Sandton store, could be giving Woolworths a run for its money.

Now new data from the latest Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity Group’s (PMBEJD) Household Affordability Index, gives us even more insight into where our money is going every week.

BusinessTech has the details:

The index tracks two baskets of foods – being a basic food basket needed for a family to survive, as well as a nutritionally complete food basket, which contains the foods needed for family to gain all the nutrients they need to lead healthy lives.

According to the index, the essential food basket has increased by 3.6% over the last year, totalling R1,289.89 in September 2019, with increases largely limited due to the zero-rating of VAT for many essential products.

The complete food basket increased by 3.5% to R3,127.21. Month on month (August 2019 vs September 2019) the basket increased by 1.9%. These increases represent a monetary value of R106.93 and R59.69, respectively.

Ah, that’s why I’m always broke.

Notably, these more ‘extreme’ price increases are on food items that are zero-rated for VAT.

…“Foods subject to VAT make up 55% of the total cost of the household food basket. VAT on the total household food basket came to R223.45 in September 2019. This means 7.1% of the household food basket is made up of VAT,” the PMBEJD said.

The following table breaks it down:

BusinessTech

For more on the cost of toiletries and non-food items, go here.

The purpose of the index is to show exactly how the country’s poorest and most vulnerable people struggle to meet the requirements to eat nutritionally complete meals and live a dignified life.

According to the PMBEJD’s data, the average wage in South Africa is R3,300 a month, and this has to support four people.

A nutritionally complete basket of food for a family of four comes to R2,327.17 a month, leaving very little (R973) for other costs, such as transport, basic insurance, education, clothing, school fees, etc.

It’s tough out there.

If you’ve found yourself in the richest 10% of South Africans, you can consider yourself fortunate.

[source:businesstech]