Eye-watering new food price stats just revealed: Price of butter up nearly 50% in a year
Eye-watering new food price stats just revealed: Price of butter up nearly 50% in a year
Food prices in the country have surged by 4.6% over the past 12 months, with butter prices climbing nearly 50% and dairy products playing a major role in the inflationary trend. The statistics, released by Stats NZ, highlight a growing cost-of-living crisis as everyday groceries, meat, and dairy products become increasingly expensive for households.
Key Highlights:
- Food prices rose 4.6% in the 12 months to June 2025, slightly up from 4.4% in May.
- Grocery prices increased 4.7%, with meat, poultry, and fish prices jumping 6.4%.
- Butter prices surged 46.5%, reaching $8.60 per 500g, up from $5.82 in June 2024.
- Milk prices rose 14.3%, averaging $4.57 per two liters.
- Beef steak prices climbed 22.3%, while beef mince rose 15.6% over the year.
- Tomatoes, capsicum, and broccoli were the main drivers of the 5% increase in fruit and vegetable prices.
According to Stats NZ, the sharp increase in food prices has been driven largely by rising costs in grocery items and meat. Nicola Growden, a spokesperson for Stats NZ, noted that dairy products have been a major contributor to the inflationary trend, with butter prices nearly doubling over the past decade and rising 46.5% in the past year alone.
“Butter prices are nearly $5 more expensive than 10 years ago, an increase of over 120%,” Growden said. “The average cost for 1kg of beef mince was $21.73 in June 2025, up from $18.80 a year ago.”
The monthly food price comparison showed a 1.2% rise in June, continuing the upward trend after a 0.5% increase in May. Fruit and vegetable prices were up 5%, mainly due to the increasing cost of tomatoes, capsicum, and broccoli. Boxed chocolates and eggs also contributed to the rise in grocery food prices by 0.8%.
Meanwhile, rent prices increased by 2.6% in the year to June, the smallest annual increase since October 2011. This has not gone unnoticed by political figures, with Labour’s Finance spokesperson, Barbara Edmonds, criticizing the government for its handling of the cost-of-living crisis.
“Prices on everyday groceries, like milk, cheese, and meat, are all through the roof,” Edmonds said. “Butter is up nearly 50 percent from this time last year, all due to National’s failure to bring down costs.” She accused the government of abandoning New Zealanders during this crisis.
In response to a previous error, Stats NZ corrected its headline, clarifying that the price of butter has risen 46.5% in the past year, not 50%. This correction underscores the importance of accurate data in understanding the economic pressures facing households.
Image: Placeholder for visual representation of rising food prices.
As the cost of living continues to rise, households are being forced to make difficult choices about their spending. With butter, meat, and dairy prices soaring, the challenge of maintaining a balanced diet and managing household budgets has become more pressing than ever.
