The Story

When Australians paid $12 for a lettuce in 2022, they knew something was wrong…

We analyzed 5 years of official data to uncover:

• How much more groceries cost today than in 2019
• Which foods are hurting budgets the most
• Why food inflation often outpaces general price increases

Data & Methodology

Data Source: - Australian Bureau of Statistics (2024) - Consumer Price Index, Australia (Catalogue No. 6401.0) - Tables 2 & 7: Quarterly data (2019 Q1 - Latest)

Methodology: - Baseline: Prices are indexed so that 2011-12 = 100. Our analysis focuses on the change since the start of 2019. - Scope: Weighted average of 8 capital cities.

The Big Picture: A Relentless Climb

Inside the Basket: Which Groceries Hurt Most?

The Hidden Tax on Daily Essentials

Rollercoaster vs. Steady Climb

Slide 8: The Cafe Test

The “Wow” Moment

Context is King: Food vs. Everything Else

Key Findings & Reference

Key Findings 🛒 Grocery bills increased r round(wow_change * 100, 1)% since 2019

🥩 Meat & dining out saw steepest price hikes

💸 Food inflation outpaced overall CPI in 15 of 20 quarters

📈 Processed foods show steady increases while fresh produce is volatile

Reference: - Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2024). Consumer Price Index, Australia (Catalogue No. 6401.0). https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/economy/price-indexes-and-inflation/consumer-price-index-australia/latest-release