NZ food prices rise 0.2 percent

Food prices rose 0.2 percent in November 2011, Statistics New Zealand has said.

A seasonal fall in the price of fruit and vegetables (down 4.0 percent) was countered by rising prices in other subgroups, including grocery food, which rose 0.7 percent.

"Grocery food prices rose in November after three consecutive monthly falls," Statistics NZ prices manager Chris Pike said.

Prices were seasonally lower for lettuce (down 33 percent), tomatoes (down 23 percent), and strawberries (down 37 percent).

The rise in grocery food prices (up 0.7 percent) reflected a reduction in the level of discounting for snack foods such as potato crisps (up 6.8 percent), chocolate (up 3.2 percent), and some types of biscuits.

For the year to November 2011, food prices increased 1.9 percent, compared with 1.1 percent for the year to October 2011.

Image: Getty