Prices on bread and flour products increase for second time in weeks, Statistics Division reports

(REAL News) — Inflation continues to spike in Antigua and Barbuda, with the cost of living at an all-time high, and with the price of bread and other flour products increasing for the second time within weeks.

This does not augur well for most citizens and residents, who are struggling to make ends meet, and with reports that the Gaston Browne Administration is contemplating a two per cent hike in the Antigua and Barbuda Sales Tax (ABST).

Based on the recently released Consumer Price Index (CPI) from the Statistics Division, the inflation rate – or the All Items Index – for the 12 months ending September 2023 rose 5.6 per cent.

For the 12 months ending August 2023, the Price Index for All Items Index increased 6.6 per cent; therefore, it means the more recent hike is only 1 per cent lower.

The Statistics Division says increases in September were influenced predominantly by spikes in the indexes for communication, transport, and food and non-alcoholic beverages.

The index for food increased 4.5 per cent over the last 12 months, the Division says.

The report says the index for bread and cereals rose by 8.2 per cent and accounted for almost 30 percent of the food increase, which was primarily due to increases in the indexes for other cereals, flour and
other products, and other bakery items.

According to the Division, the index for these categories of items accounted for 91 per cent of the bread and cereal index increase.

The index for vegetables rose 4.3 per cent, with the index for frozen, preserved, or processed vegetables and vegetable-based products rising 9.0 per cent.

Reportedly, the index for meat and meat products declined 5.0 per cent, with five of the six meat and meat-products subcategories declining – except for the pork index, which increased 13.4 per cent.

The Statistics Division confirms that the index for All Items Less Food and Energy rose 6.9 per cent over the past 12 months, with the four influential contributors being communication; restaurants and
hotels; miscellaneous goods and services and furnishings and household equipment; and routine household maintenance.

Meanwhile, the monthly Consumer Price Index declined by 0.9 per cent for the month ending September 2023; however, the index for food increased by 2.5 per cent over the last month.

Six of the nine food sub-categories posted increased over the one-month period, including fruits and vegetables; fish and seafood; and sugar, jam, honey, chocolate and confectionery.

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