Household Food Basket Lower Prices But Difficult Months On Low Income

In November 2024, the cost of the monthly food basket for low-income South African households was R5,361.04, showing a slight increase of R12.39 0.2 compared to October and R46.40 0.9 more than in November 2023. This data comes from the Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity Group, which tracks food prices through the Household Affordability Index. The basket includes 44 essential food items sourced from 47 supermarkets and 32 butcheries across various cities, including Johannesburg, Durban, Cape Town, and others.

Mervyn Abrahams, the group's program coordinator, noted that while vegetable prices have kept the overall increase modest, the basket remains unaffordable for many low-income families. Additionally, the holiday season, with expenses for Christmas and school preparations, will make it even harder for households to manage their budgets.

In November, 27 items in the basket saw price increases, with significant rises in items such as bananas 10 and oranges 13. Other foods like maize meal, onions, and sugar increased by 2-3. On the other hand, 17 items decreased in price, with potatoes dropping by 19 and rice, carrots, and butternuts seeing smaller reductions.

Regionally, the basket's cost was higher in Johannesburg, Durban, Pietermaritzburg, and Mtubatuba, while Cape Town and Springbok saw slight reductions in food costs. Despite the overall minor rise, the baskets cost continues to strain low-income consumers.