Source: Statistics New Zealand
Annual food prices increase 4.6 percent – news story
17 February 2026
Food prices increased 4.6 percent in the 12 months to January 2026, following a 4.0 percent increase in the 12 months to December 2025, according to figures released by Stats NZ today.
Higher prices for the grocery food group, up 4.0 percent, contributed the most to the annual increase in food prices. This was followed by meat, poultry, and fish, up 8.9 percent annually.
The average price for:
- beef porterhouse/sirloin steak was $45.48 per kilogram, up 22.9 percent annually
- chocolate block was $6.89 per 250 grams, up 20.5 percent annually
- white bread was $2.21 per 600 grams, up 57.9 percent annually
- takeaway coffee was $5.16 per cup, up 6.6 percent annually
- soft drinks was $3.32 per 1.5 litres, down 3.5 percent annually
- potato crisps was $2.10 per 150 grams, down 5.0 percent annually
- olive oil was $17.61 per litre, down 21.7 percent annually.
