adminCCZ executive director Ms Rosemary Siyachitema said the food basket marginally increased from $160,22 in November to $160,98 in December by $0,76.
She said the figures reflected a 0,47 percent increase in the food basket during the period under review.
“Detergents decreased by 10,37 percent from $13,41 to $12,02. Movers in the basket included items such as margarine that went up 15 cents from $2,15 to $2,30, roller meal by 8 cents from $10,30 to $10,38, salt by 1 cent from $0,20 to $0,21, tomatoes by a cent from $0,89 to $0,90,” she said.
Shakers were tea whose price dropped by 9 cents to $1,50, cooking oil by 15 cents to $1,55, and onions by 3 cents from to $0,99.
“The price of other basic commodities among them bread, sugar, fresh milk, flour, bath soap and rice did not change from the November 2012 figures,” she said.
Ms Siyachitema said CCZ continued to encourage consumers to shop conscientiously and to always buy certified products.
“And where the products are not certified, to exercise the right to information by carefully examining if the product they are purchasing is well labelled, packaged and provided with vital information such as manufacturing and expiry dates and ingredients used to make up the product,” she said.
An economic commentator Mr Trust Chikohora said the cost of living was stable because inflation was still very low.
“There is not much change in the cost of living for the month of November and December.
“This means that prices have remained generally stable because inflation is still very low but this is not coming from the supply side as there is no increase in production in the manufacturing sector,” he said.
He said the containment of inflation was more on the demand side because liquidity circulating in the economy was limited.
“People are preparing for the resumption of a new school year which results in them having limited disposable income,” said Mr Chikohora.
derick.khumalo
Online Reporter