via Consumer basket decreases to $559 – NewsDay Zimbabwe October 5, 2015
THE consumer basket for a family of six has marginally decreased by 0,34% to $559,11 due to minimal decline of prices of goods in the basket in September, consumer watchdog Consumer Council of Zimbabwe (CCZ) has said.
Business reporter
In a statement yesterday, CCZ said from the August 2015 figures, prices of other commodities which include bread, fresh milk and salt remained unchanged.
CCZ statistics showed that the food basket decreased by 1,03% to $116,74 by September 2015 from $117,95 by August 2015.
This was on the back of price decrease in detergents.
During the month under review, the price decreases are as a result of quite a number of promotions that are being run by various supermarkets and these include Bon Marche’s Live It Up Fiesta running from September 10 to November 26, TM’s Bargain Bonanza Promotion running from August 1 to October 2 and Save Big and Win Promotion at Choppies. Fuel prices decreased from $ 1,33 to $ 1,15 hence causing a shake-up on the market.
The survey is conducted twice during the first and last weeks of every month.
The total cost of the food basket and the price of each commodity are arrived at by averaging prices gathered from retail outlets throughout the country.
The cost of brown sugar went down by 11c from $1,75 to $1,64 while the price of tea leaves decreased by 67cents from $1,65 to $0,98.
Flour 2kg decreased by 10cents from $1,69 to $1,59, tomatoes decreased by 30c from 85c to 55c, onions by 5c from 85c to 80c, bathing soap by 4c from 49c to 45c, laundry bar by 9c from 99c to 90c and washing powder by 6c from $1,05 to 99c.
“CCZ continues to encourage consumers to shop conscientiously and to always buy certified products. Where the products are not certified, to exercise their right to information by carefully examining if the products they are purchasing are well labelled, packaged and provided with vital information such as manufacturing and expiry dates and ingredients used in the make-up of the products,” CCZ said
Official statistics showed that year-on-year inflation for the month of August stood at -2,77%, flat on the previous month, as deflationary pressures persist.
The year-on-year food and non-alcoholic beverages inflation prone to transitory shocks stood at 3,59% while the non-food inflation rate was -2,38%.
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