Each year in South Africa, the cost of living is becoming more expensive. While this is a result of inflation, looking back just a couple of years puts into perspective how big this jump has really been.
Using data for 2008 from an SA retail snapshot report released by Broll in 2018, we compared those prices with what we would pay today when buying from Pick n Pay.
Price of goods between 2008 and 2020
1L Long Life Milk
– 2008: R8.46
– 2020: R16.94
White Bread
– 2008 R5.89
– 2020 R14.49
750ml Sunflower Oil
– 2008: R12.70
– 2020: R22.99
2.5kg White Sugar
– 2008: R14.79
– 2020: R43.99
T-Bone Steak (per kg)
– 2008: R56.02
– 2020: R179.98
1kg Gouda
– 2008: R71.73
– 2020: R119.99
250g Instant Coffee
– 2008: R13.89
– 2020: R41.99
Six pack of beer*
– 2008: R28.87
– 2020: R69.99
*Beer in 2008 came in 340ml cans, this has been reduced to 330ml in 2020
When checking the 2008 prices adjusted for inflation, it’s easy to see how much more South Africans are paying overall for goods. For example, when the 2008 price of white bread is adjusted for inflation, its 2020 price should be R10.33. This is a whopping R4.16 less than the current price. Other goods are almost perfectly in line, such as the Sunflower Oil which when adjusted comes to R22.26.
As the Broll report explains, factors not accounted for in these calculations include a rise in the cost of electricity and fuel prices, the increase in VAT, which went from 14 to 15% in 2018 and climate conditions which affect farming. These all contribute to the price of your grocery shopping.
Picture: Unsplash