Family Consumer Basket Increases

via RadioVop Zimbabwe – Family Consumer Basket Increases

The consumer basket for a family of six has increased by US$6 in September up from US$586.90 recorded in August in a development that has been attributed to the 5 percent tax increase in fuel introduced by government.

According to the Consumer Council of Zimbabwe (CCZ), food items like margarine, sugar, salt, flour, beef, tea leaves, fresh milk, rice, tomatoes and cabbages recorded price increases ranging from as low as 5 cents to 29 cents.

On the detergents side, laundry bars went up by 17 cents from 55 cents to 72 cents.

Price decreases were recorded for items such as maize-meal which fell by 17 cents from US$11.60 to US$11.43 for the 20 kilogramme bag and cooking oil which dropped by 10 cents.

The CCZ said the price rises could have been influenced by the 5 percent tax increase in fuel introduced by government recently.

The consumer body attributed the price reduction for cooking oil to measures by local producers to be more competitive.

With the import duty for food items like meat, cooking oil,  dairy products, beverages, vegetables, soap and furniture coming into effect on the 1st of October, the impact the tax hikes will have on the retail sector remains to be seen.