South Africa’s annual consumer price inflation eased to 3.3% in August 2025, down from 3.5% in July, offering some relief to consumers facing economic pressure.
The drop is mainly due to lower food and fuel prices, according to the latest data released by Stats SA.
The monthly consumer price index (CPI) also declined by 0.1%, with decreases in four of the 13 major spending categories.
These included:
- Food and non-alcoholic beverages (-0.1%)
- Household furnishings and maintenance (-0.1%)
- Transport (-0.2%)
- Information and communication (-0.2%)
Food Inflation Slows to 5.2%
Food prices, particularly for cereals, dairy, and vegetables, continued to cool.
The food and non-alcoholic beverages category recorded an annual inflation rate of 5.2%, down from 5.7% in July.
Staples such as hot cereals (-7.8%), white rice (-7.2%), potatoes, and eggs showed significant annual declines. Bread and pasta prices remained mostly flat.
While beef products still reflect high annual increases – with stewing beef up by 32.3% – their monthly price changes are now minimal.
Factory-gate prices for beef carcasses also dropped in July, contributing to the slowdown.
Fuel Prices Decline Further
Fuel inflation dropped to -5.7%, improving from -5.5% in July. Inland petrol prices fell by 28 cents per litre, resulting in a 1.3% monthly decline, although diesel prices rose by 2.5% in the same period.
Other Notable Price Movements
While food and fuel eased, some non-essential goods saw sharp increases:
- Books: +30.8% year-on-year
- Movie tickets: +15.9%
- Video games: +14.7%
Despite these increases, the overall inflation picture points to cooling price pressures heading into the final quarter of the year.
