Annual CPI inflation was 2,2% in June, slightly up from 2,1% in May. The monthly increase was 0,5% – a reversal of the -0,6% recorded between April and May. The dominance of fuel price changes recorded in the previous few months continued in June. Fuel prices increased by 7,5% from May to June, with petrol   read more »

The June CPI will use special imputation methods to account for the shift from Level 4 to Level 3 lockdown restrictions on consumer spending. Stats SA has published a note to explain the circumstances in which different methods will employed. An updated publication schedule for the remainder of 2020 is included in the note. During August   read more »

Annual consumer price inflation fell to its lowest reading since September 2004, dragged lower mainly by falling fuel prices. The Consumer Price Index (CPI), which measures the prices of a range of consumer goods and services, increased by 2,1% in May 2020 compared with May 2019. The reading for September 2004, 15 years and eight   read more »

The May CPI will be published on Wednesday, 15 July. At the heart of measuring inflation is the comparison of prices of a fixed set of products in two periods. The COVID-19 lockdown restrictions and gradual normalisation have posed particular challenges for the calculation of the consumer price index. Special imputation methods were used in   read more »

Annual CPI inflation for April reflects the impact of the first month of the COVID-19 lockdown. The rate dropped to 3,0% in April from 4,1% in March, the lowest reading since June 2005 when the rate was 2,8%. Consumer inflation is now at the bottom of the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) target range of   read more »

The COVID-19 pandemic and the drastic actions taken to prevent its spread have fundamentally impacted the South African economy and Stats SA’s ability to measure it. Government imposed a restrictive five-week lockdown from 27 March to 30 April. Data collection for the March 2020 consumer price index had been completed before the lockdown and it   read more »

The prices of essential products decreased by 0,5% during the COVID‑19 Level 5 lockdown in April. The index increased in the first week of April but then dropped in each of the three successive weeks. The change in the week 23‒30 April was -0,7%. This is the final report of the weekly essential products price   read more »

The prices of essential products decreased by 0,1% between the weeks ending 16 and 23 April after decreasing by 0,2% the previous week. The essential products consumer price index (EP–CPI) has increased by 0,2% since weekly data was first collected at the beginning of the lockdown in the week ending 2 April. This article covers   read more »

When the COVID-19 lockdown went into effect on 27 March, the range of products available to households for purchase was restricted to a set of defined essential goods and services. Since the beginning of the lockdown, Stats SA has been measuring price changes for those essential goods that appear in the Consumer Price Index (CPI)   read more »

Annual CPI inflation nudged lower to 4,1% in March from February’s reading of 4,6%. There were two key features of the CPI in March: the incorporation of fee data from educational institutions (including crèches) and the effect of the latest increases in excise tariffs. Tuition fees are surveyed once a year in March. On average,   read more »