The prices for food and non-alcoholic beverages increased by 7.5 per cent in the last twelve months, according to the latest report published by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS).
KNBS, in its report released on Thursday, August 31, attributed the hike to prevailing inflation between August 2023 and the same month last year.
The statisticians used the Consumer Price Index (CPI) to compile the data. CPI is a key macroeconomic indicator used to monitor price movements and how they affect policy decisions.
"CPI is defined as a measure of the weighted aggregate change in retail prices paid by consumers for a given basket of goods and services.
"Year-on-year inflation is used mainly for economic decision making as current situation is compared to previous year situation, same period. Inflation rate is defined as a percentage change of the CPI between two periods," KNBS stated.
Food Items Whose Prices Increased
The report shows that the price of one kilogram of mangoes increased by 6.1 per cent while the price of one kilogram of sugar rose by 3.2 per cent in the twelve months.
At the same time, among non-food items, the index of housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels increased by 7.5 per cent in the last 12 months.
Consequently, the transport index increased by 13.1 per cent in the last 12 months, while household equipment and routine household maintenance index increased by 4 per cent.
"Prices of different commodities are collected from selected retail outlets located in 50 data collection zones. Out of the 50 data collection zones, 14 are in Nairobi City County, while 36 are in other urban areas.
"Nairobi zones cover outlets in lower income, middle income and upper income areas," KNBS report read in parts.
Food Items Whose Prices Decreased
The KNBS report indicates that the price of one litre of cooking oil salad decreased by 1.2 per cent in the last twelve months. While the cost of one kilogram of beans went down by 1.3 per cent.
Meanwhile, one kilogram of cabbages decreased by 2.6 per cent, while the cost of one kilogram of potatoes reduced by 3.5 per cent in the country.
At the same, the price for two kilograms of fortified maize flour decreased by 6.1 in the past twelve months. KNBS also claimed that the price of one kilogram of maize flour-loose decreased by 7.3 per cent.
The KNBS data also shows that the price of one kilogram of maize grain reduced by 8.2 per cent in the last two months.
Kenya National Bureau of Statistics observed that the prices of essential commodities will continue to rise and fall depending on many other factors, including inflation.
"The rise in annual inflation was mainly due to an increase in prices of commodities under the following Classification of Individual Consumption by Purpose (COICOP) divisions," KNBS noted.
