A 40-year-old resident of Mankweng in Limpopo, currently spends between R1 500 and R1 700 on groceries each month—almost double the amount she was paying for the same basket of goods in 2020. Her monthly income of R5 500 must support her family of five, stretching across all basic needs until her next pay day. Meat is now a rare purchase, as her limited budget is prioritised towards staple items such as 12.5kg of maize meal, rice, flour, and cooking oil. The remaining R600 is used to top up electricity, leaving little room for any unforeseen expenses.
Key Takeaways
- Households under pressure: Rising food prices are placing severe strain on low-income families, with some spending nearly half their income on groceries while sacrificing nutritional variety.
- Limited price relief: Small decreases in selected food items have been reported, but these are outweighed by ongoing increases in essential staples like maize meal, rice, and cooking oil.
- Broader economic impact: Stagnant wages, rising electricity and fuel costs, and the proposed VAT hike are compounding financial stress, leaving many South Africans unable to keep up.
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Financial Recovery Still Elusive for Many
Makgato’s experience is reflective of many South African households still battling to regain financial stability following the economic disruptions brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic. According to Jacolize Meiring from the Unisa Bureau of Market Research, the long-term effects of the pandemic continue to weigh heavily on low- and middle-income earners, many of whom have not experienced sufficient income growth to counteract rising living expenses. The burden of inflation, combined with stagnant wages, has meant that basic necessities now consume a greater portion of household earnings than ever before. As wages remain frozen for many, and employment opportunities scarce, the financial scars left by the pandemic have deepened into chronic hardship. For millions, budgeting is no longer a matter of smart planning—it’s become a form of crisis management.
Every rand counts when your grocery bill keeps climbing. From bulk buying to meal prepping, these money-saving tips are essential reading for families trying to stretch their income while still keeping nutritious meals on the table.
New Report Shows Mixed Trends in Food Pricing
The Competition Commission released its latest Essential Food Pricing Monitoring (EFPM) report on Thursday, offering some insight into the current state of food affordability. The report, which monitors prices of selected basic food items, indicated that the price of canned pilchards decreased slightly from R27.81 to R27.46 between August and December. While this movement signals a measure of pricing restraint from producers and retailers in this particular product, broader trends suggest only minor relief for consumers.
Although pilchards are a cost-effective protein source for many working-class families, the marginal drop of just 35 cents is far from a game-changer. Many households say such minimal reductions barely register at the till.
Limited Relief Despite Easing Pressure in Certain Sectors
The EFPM report, which has tracked essential food prices since the onset of the pandemic, suggests that some food costs have begun to decline gradually. These price reductions are modest, however, and do not significantly ease the financial strain faced by consumers. According to the commission, while there is evidence of slowly diminishing cost pressures in some areas of the economy, the benefits are not yet broadly felt by all segments of the population. Shoppers continue to feel trapped in a high-cost cycle, where discounts on one product are quickly cancelled out by increases in another. Bread may cost less this month, but cooking oil or rice could cost more the next. For many, there’s no sense of real progress—just fluctuation in the struggle.
Stubborn Prices for Eggs, Bread and Oil
Certain products continue to reflect elevated prices. Eggs, for example, remain costly, although average retail prices for brown bread have shown some decline. The commission also noted that although sunflower oil prices are now more responsive to changes in production costs, the difference between producer and retail prices has remained at its highest level since 2021. This suggests that mark-ups along the supply chain continue to affect affordability at the consumer level. Even when wholesale costs drop, consumers rarely see the savings. The long chain of processing, packaging, and distribution often absorbs the margin, leaving end buyers to shoulder a disproportionate share of the cost. Retailers and suppliers point fingers, but shoppers are left holding the bag—literally.
Consumers Struggle to Keep Up with Broader Inflation Pressures
Jacolize Meiring pointed out that while prices for some goods like eggs have begun to normalise—no longer requiring households to spend close to R90 for 18 eggs—the overall situation has not improved enough to offer substantial relief. Broader economic pressures such as rising electricity and fuel costs are contributing to a persistent financial squeeze. In many cases, workers are not receiving salary increases that are in line with inflation, leaving them in a continual state of trying to catch up with the rising cost of living.
Transport costs alone now consume a larger slice of monthly income, especially for those commuting long distances. Coupled with load-shedding and rising municipal fees, many workers find that even full-time employment no longer guarantees food security.
Low-Income Households Bear the Brunt of Rising Costs
Dr Frederick Kirsten, from the School of Economics at the University of Johannesburg, noted that lower-income households in particular allocate a significant proportion of their monthly earnings to food and household essentials. With frequent fluctuations in petrol prices and ongoing increases in electricity tariffs, these households are unlikely to experience any real financial reprieve. The anticipated increase in VAT by 0.5 percentage points is also expected to further reduce the purchasing power of vulnerable consumers. Analysts warn that even a marginal VAT hike on essentials like flour and cooking oil could have outsized effects on low-income families, who already live meal to meal. For many, financial resilience has all but eroded.
When cutting costs isn’t enough, increasing your income becomes essential. Here’s how to make extra money in SA—from side hustles to freelance gigs—to help cushion the blow of high prices.
Concerns Grow Over Renewed Food Price Increases
Mervyn Abrahams, programme coordinator at the Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice & Dignity Group, reported signs of a potential uptick in food inflation. While there was a 2% decrease in the cost of the organisation’s monitored food basket in February, this was followed by a 0.2% increase in March. Though the trend is still emerging, early indicators suggest that food prices could once again be on the rise. Economists are cautious but concerned, noting that short-term price drops can easily reverse with seasonal supply issues, logistical bottlenecks, or currency weakness. The consistency needed to bring meaningful relief has yet to materialise.
Staple Foods Becoming More Expensive Again
Items such as maize meal, rice, sugar beans, and cooking oil have recently seen price increases. These staples form the foundation of many household diets, and any upward shift in their cost poses a significant challenge for families already operating on tight budgets. The ongoing price fluctuations are particularly troubling in light of the broader economic environment, where wage growth remains sluggish and basic service costs continue to rise. For many households, these staples are not optional purchases—they are the very foundation of daily nutrition. Any increase in their price means cutting back elsewhere, often on school transport, clothing, or medical care. The cost of survival, many say, is now coming at the cost of dignity.
Conclusion
Although there are isolated signs of easing food prices, these are far outweighed by the ongoing rise in the overall cost of living. Households across South Africa are still locked in a daily struggle to make ends meet, often forced to choose between basic nutrition and other essential needs. The modest relief offered by recent market shifts has not translated into meaningful change for most consumers, especially those living on the financial edge. Without targeted intervention, the affordability gap is likely to widen further, leaving millions more vulnerable to food insecurity.
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