Food basket declines: CCZ

By The Standard and Newsday | Jul. 6, 2014

THE consumer basket for a family of six has declined by $4 to $588,97 as at the end of June as a result of promotions on most products during the period under review, the Consumer Council of Zimbabwe (CCZ) has said.

MTHANDAZO NYONI OWN CORRESPONDENT

In a statement, CCZ said the food basket decreased by $4,17 to $144,57 at the end of June.

“The price of detergents increased by 17c from $10,23 to $10,40 as a result of the increase in the price of washing powder.

“Increases in prices were recorded in onions by 38c from $1,07 to $1,45 per kilogramme; washing powder by 31c from 89c to $1,20; tomatoes by 13c from 80c to $1,07; rice by 5c from $1,59 to $1,64 and flour by 2c from $1,87 to $1,89,” the consumer watchdog said.

However, decreases in prices were recorded in mealie-meal by $1,14 from $13,10 to $11,96 for a 20kg bag. Tea leaves went down by 25c from $1,85 to $1,60 a kilogramme, laundry bars by 19c from $1,19 to $1, cabbage by 11c from 60c to 49c, beef by 11c from $4,10 to $3,99 per kg, cooking oil by 7c from $1,67 to $1,60 per litre, sugar by 6c from $1,85 to $1,79 per kg and salt from 23c to 20c.

The prices of other basic commodities, which include fuel, margarine, fresh milk, bread and bath soap, remained unchanged from the end of May figures.

The CCZ said it will continue to encourage consumers to shop conscientiously and to always buy certified products.

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The watchdog said consumers should check for vital information such as manufacturing and expiry dates and ingredients used in the recipes of products they are buying.

The survey is conducted twice during the first and the 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 basket is considered a fairly accurate depiction of the cost of living in urban Zimbabwe.