While beef prices have continued to push food inflation higher, chicken prices are now also on the rise, with individual quick frozen chicken climbing to 5.0% in September from 4.4% in August.

This was revealed by Statistics SA (StatsSA) on Wednesday, stating that annual consumer inflation rose slightly, to 3.4% in September from 3.3% in August.

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Meat inflation reached 11.7% in September, the highest annual rate since January 2018.

“While month-on-month increases for beef products have slowed, price levels remain high. Stewing beef, for example, recorded an annual rise of 32.2%, but no monthly change.

“Other meat categories are also feeling the heat; the annual rates for pork and lamb accelerated notably in September,” said StatsSA.

StatsSA, however, noted price decreases for milk, eggs and white rice.

“The milk, other dairy products and eggs category remained in deflationary territory for a fourth consecutive month, with prices on average 1.6% lower than a year ago.

“Most varieties of milk were cheaper. For example, prices for fresh full-cream milk decreased by an annual 2.1%.

“Egg prices were also lower, with the annual rate dropping to -8.2% from -6.7% in August. The average price of a box of 18 eggs, for example, was R62.58 last month, down from R69.36 in September 2024.

“Cheese inflation was higher, however, with gouda 6.4% and cheddar 6.3% more expensive than a year ago.”

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