Reference
NZ Food Price Index 2026
Last updated: (latest data: March 2026)
The Food Price Index (FPI) measures how the price of food changes over time in New Zealand. Stats NZ publishes it monthly, tracking five groups: fruit and vegetables; meat, poultry and fish; grocery food; non-alcoholic beverages; and restaurant meals and ready-to-eat food. Food is one of the biggest swings in the household budget, so the FPI is a good gauge of cost-of-living pressure.
Grocery Budget Calculator Takeaway vs Cooking Budget CalculatorAnnual Food Price Change by Group (latest detailed month, February 2026)
| Group | Annual change |
|---|---|
| All food | +4.5% |
| Meat, poultry and fish | +7.5% |
| Fruit and vegetables | +9.4% |
| Grocery food | Moderate |
| Restaurant meals and ready-to-eat food | Moderate |
| Non-alcoholic beverages | Moderate |
Recent Annual Food Inflation
| Month | Annual change |
|---|---|
| March 2026 | +3.4% |
| February 2026 | +4.5% |
| January 2026 | +4.2% |
How the Food Price Index Works
Each month Stats NZ collects thousands of prices for a representative basket of food items from supermarkets, greengrocers, butchers and restaurants. The FPI is one of the major inputs into the quarterly Consumers Price Index (CPI), the official measure of overall inflation. Meat and fresh produce tend to be the most volatile groups, swinging with seasons, weather and export demand.