South Africa’s meat prices still high but these three items are cheaper than last year
The battle against soaring South Africa’s meat prices is far from over, but the rate of increase appears to have stalled recently.
Meat inflation is hitting South Africa hard, threatening festive braais, but there is a slight surprise twist in the latest data from Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) for October 2025.
While the overall category remains heavily priced, certain staple items offer crucial relief for South Africans, showing cheaper meat prices for key items like corned meat and fresh whole chicken, compared to a year ago.
The battle against soaring meat costs is far from over, yet the rate of increase appears to have stalled recently. Previous data indicated an annual inflation rate for meat reaching 11.7% in September 2025, confirming consumers’ worst fears.
Some of South Africa’s meat prices bring festive joy
Despite the meat category showing an overall annual increase of 11.4% in October 2025 compared to October 2024, the monthly change in meat prices registered 0.0% between September and October 2025, indicating a welcome halt in immediate price hikes.
In a surprising reversal, your budget is getting a break as corned meat, fresh whole chicken and bacon are cheaper now than they were a year ago.
However, meat still remains a heavy driver in consumer expenses, holding a weight of 5.10 in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for all urban areas.
Overall, the food and non-alcoholic beverages group contributed 0.7 of a percentage point to the 3.6% annual headline inflation rate recorded in October 2025.
Here is a look at the recent inflation data for the meat group:
| Group | Weight | Index (Oct 2024) | Index (Sep 2025) | Index (Oct 2025) | % change Oct 2025 vs. Sep 2025 | % change Oct 2025 vs. Oct 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meat | 5,10 | 99,5 | 110,8 | 110,8 | 0,0 | 11,4 |
Source: Stats SA – Consumer Price Indices for all urban areas
Historic highs provide context
This period of high meat inflation must be viewed against previous consumer price pressures.
Overall, South Africa experienced notably high annual CPI rates in recent history, averaging 6.9% throughout 2022. While overall inflation sat significantly lower at 3.6% in October 2025, the current annual meat inflation rate of 11.4% highlights specific sector distress that echoes past inflationary battles.
The stability observed in the month-on-month data (0.0% change), coupled with certain items like corned meat, fresh whole chicken and bacon being cheaper than a year ago, offers a small reprieve as families prepare for the expensive festive season.