THE average cost of living has marginally increased with the consumer basket for a family of six going up by $1,31 to $561,24 last month.
By Business Reporter
Economic analysts have attributed the increase to a slight price rise in some consumer goods.
The monthly basket started the year in declining mode having fallen by $3,16 in January to $561 from $559,93 mainly due to non-movement of some goods on supermarket shelves.
The Consumer Council of Zimbabwe said last month: “Margarine 500g increased by 6 cents from $2,39 to $2,45, cabbage by 14 cents from 61 cents to 75 cents, mealie meal 10kg by 5 cents from $12,25 to $12,30, 2kg sugar by 10 cents from $1,75 to $1,85, 500ml fresh milk by 4 cents from 70 cents to 74 cents, cooking oil by 6 cents from $1,55 to $1,61, 2kg flour by 6 cents from $1,89 to $1,95, salt by 3 cents from 20 cents to 23 cents and onions by 10 cents from 95 cents to $1,05.”
Price decreases were recorded in beef, tomatoes, bath soap, laundry bars and washing powder. The price of a kilogramme of beef went down by 10 cents to $3,90 a kg, tomatoes were down by 8 cents to 90 cents,bath soap down 20 cents to 69 cents while laundry bars were down 10 cents to $1. Washing powder went down by 6 cents to 89 cents.
During March, prices of fuel, tea leaves, bread and rice remained unchanged from February.
Inflation figures for February stood at minus 49% after shedding off 0,90 percentage points on the January 2014 rate of 0,41%.
