Price of eggs up nearly 20% during first week of lockdown – Stats SA

According to the weekly essential products price index from Stats SA,  consumers have been paying more for eggs, milk and cheese than they were a month ago, but less for bread, mealie-meal and chicken.

Stats SA chief director of price statistics Patrick Kelly said: “Milk, eggs and cheese products showed price increases of 0,2% in the last week of April and 2,8% over the month,” IOL reported.

He said the large increase in the monthly report was due to the price of eggs increasing by 19,8%, almost all in the first week. Cheese spread went up 6,8%.

The price for cheddar cheese increased by 3,9% in the last week but decreased by 0,8% over April.

Staples such as bread and cereal decreased by 0,6%, while rice decreased by 4% in the last week of the month to show a -0,5% change.

“South Africa’s main staple, mealie-meal, ended the month with prices 0,1% lower than the end of March,” said Kelly.

The price for meat products decreased by 1%. Kelly said the reason for this was a substantial variation between different meat products, with beef generally increasing and chicken and pork decreasing.

Stats SA also released findings on the impact the Covid-19 pandemic has had on employment, income and hunger.

With 2,688 respondents, 60,2% said they were employed on a permanent basis during the national lockdown, 5,2% said their business had closed down, less than 2% lost their job and 4% were not working or seeking employment.

The study also found that 38,6% of respondents were spending less per week during the lockdown compared to before it.

38,6% reported that they were spending less per week during the lockdown compared to before the national lockdown.

Read more here: https://t.co/SCiFvmvs5O#StatsSA #COVID19SA #LockdownSA pic.twitter.com/FtbrXUPh63

— Stats SA (@StatsSA) May 20, 2020

Since the start of the lockdown, the proportion of respondents who reported experiencing hunger increased from 4,3% to 7,0%.

About 67% of respondents said they were more concerned about the potential long-term impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on their financial situation.

67,7% of respondents stated that they are more concerned about the potential long-term impact of the #COVID19SA pandemic on their financial situation.

Read more here: https://t.co/SCiFvmvs5O#StatsSA #LockdownSA pic.twitter.com/TuSoTze64Q

— Stats SA (@StatsSA) May 20, 2020

(Compiled by Sandisiwe Mbhele)

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