Shopping for groceries? Bad luck if you live in these towns

Shopping for groceries can feel like a monthly battle, especially when the same basket costs more depending on where you live.

July figures revealed which South African towns are hardest on household food budgets. They also brought one small mercy: national food inflation has fallen sharply.

WHERE DOES SHOPPING FOR GROCERIES COST THE MOST?

Springbok has claimed the unwanted crown when shopping for groceries. The Northern Cape town recorded the highest household food basket cost in July.

The PMBEJD basket contained 44 commonly purchased food items. In Springbok, it cost R6 109.75 in July. That was R374.25 more than a year earlier, an increase of 6.5%.

Johannesburg came second at R5 763.70. Mthatha followed at R5,669.87. Suddenly, that supermarket loyalty card feels less rewarding.

Springbok sits about 570 km north of Cape Town on the N7. It serves as an important stop for travellers heading towards Namibia. For residents, however, getting groceries apparently requires a thicker wallet.

WHY DOES SHOPPING FOR GROCERIES FEEL SO DIFFERENT?

The national picture looks less alarming. South Africa’s average 44-item household food basket reached R5 530.52 in July.

That represented a year-on-year increase of 1.6%, or R87.81. The monthly increase was R28.11.

Stats SA reported annual food and non-alcoholic beverage inflation of just 0.9% in July. That marked the lowest rate in more than 16 years.

The last comparable rate came in June 2010, when food and non-alcoholic beverage inflation stood at 0.7%. South Africa was hosting the FIFA World Cup then, which makes the statistic oddly nostalgic.

WHICH TOWNS GIVE SHOPPERS A BREAK?

Pietermaritzburg continued to offer the cheapest basket among the cities tracked. Its July basket cost R5 173.57.

Durban followed at R5 309.02, while Cape Town recorded R5 367.30. Cape Town’s basket was R4.05 cheaper than a year earlier.

That does not mean everything has become cheaper. Six of the 44 tracked food items recorded double-digit inflation in July. Meanwhile, 28 items became more expensive or showed increases.

Maize meal, macaroni and white bread all recorded monthly price declines. Beef also offered some relief, with stewing beef, steak and mince cheaper year-on-year.

WHAT SHOULD SHOPPERS WATCH NEXT?

The good news may not last forever. It is reported that economists expect food price deflation to lose its influence during the rest of 2026 and into 2027.

That means households should keep comparing prices rather than assuming one supermarket or town always wins. A cheaper loaf here and a pricier sausage there can quickly change the weekly bill.

For now, Springbok residents have the strongest reason to scrutinise their trolleys. The rest of us can simply be grateful that shopping for groceries has, for once, received some help from falling food inflation.