Consumer prices at a glance

Released: 2014-06-20

Meat prices push food price inflation higher in 2014 

Following relatively low price inflation for food purchased from stores in 2013, prices in this category rose faster in the first five months of 2014. Between January and May 2014, prices for food purchased from stores increased 2.7%. In comparison, they rose 1.2% between January and May 2013. The higher increase in the first five months of 2014 was mainly attributable to meat prices, which rose 7.5% during this period, compared with a 1.0% gain in the same period of 2013.

Chart 1 
Percent change from January to May in prices for food purchased from stores

Higher prices for fresh or frozen beef led the increase in meat prices between January and May 2014. Consumers paid 10.0% more for beef in the first five months of 2014, compared with a 2.3% increase over the same period of 2013. Similarly, prices for fresh or frozen pork advanced 12.2% from January to May 2014, while a 0.5% increase was recorded in the first five months of 2013. Fresh or frozen chicken prices increased 0.5% from January to May 2014, whereas they decreased 1.5% from January to May 2013.

In addition to meat, higher prices for vegetables and fruit contributed to the rise in price inflation for food purchased from stores from January to May 2014. Consumers paid 5.3% more for fresh vegetables in the first five months of 2014. Conversely, prices for fresh vegetables had increased 2.6% over the same period of 2013. The index for fresh fruit recorded a 5.6% gain from January to May 2014, compared with a 0.3% decline over the same period the previous year.

The effects of price gains for meat, fresh vegetables and fresh fruit between January and May 2014 were moderated by smaller price increases in other food categories. For instance, prices for non-alcoholic beverages increased 1.6% between January and May 2014, whereas they rose 8.1% over the same period of 2013. In addition, prices for dairy products rose 0.2% in the first five months of 2014, compared with a 1.1% increase over the same period the previous year.

For further analysis of Consumer Price Index data, consult the publication The Consumer Price Index. The May 2014 issue of The Consumer Price Index, Vol. 93, no. 5 (Catalogue number62-001-X), is now available from the Browse by key resource module of our website under Publications.

More information about the concepts and use of the Consumer Price Index are also available online in Your Guide to the Consumer Price Index (Catalogue number62-557-X) from the Browse by key resource module of our website under Publications.

Contact information

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