Food prices | Year-on-year basket increased by R572.64

JOHANNESBURG - A number of factors are impacting price increases.

That's according to the Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity Group.

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It has published its Household Affordability Index for February 2023, tracking food price data from 44 supermarkets and 30 butcheries across the country.

Month-on-month, the food basket increased by just under R11.

Year-on-year it's a different story.

READ: Inflation dips again but food prices rise

Coordinator Mervyn Abrahams says the challenge lies in the food production value chain.

"Our system is very transparent, we know what farmers get and it's not much, we know what consumers pay at the retail stores," he said.

"What goes on in between these in the value chain is extremely hard to tell because we don't have the data. We cannot make an assessment on whether these prices are in fact justified."