Inflation

Quick Fact

Monthly change in fruit prices: -7,3%.

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) and Producer Price Index (PPI) are the two primary measures of inflation for South Africa. Both indicators are published on a monthly basis.The Consumer Price Index tracks the rate of change in the prices of goods and services purchased by consumers. The headline CPI is used as the inflation target measure which guides the South African Reserve Bank on the setting of interest rates.

The Producer Price Index tracks the rate of change in the prices charged by producers of goods. Stats SA publishes PPIs for different industries with the PPI for final manufactured goods being the headline PPI. Additional PPIs are compiled for Agriculture, forestry and fishing; Mining and quarrying; Electricity and water; Intermediate manufactured goods; Imports and Exports; and Construction.

The PPI is widely used by businesses as a contract escalator and as a general indicator of inflationary pressures in the economy.

Consumer Price Index

Producer Price Index

Update on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for May

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 »