South Africans still struggling to put food on the table
Despite a slight year-on-year dip in food prices, South African households are still feeling the squeeze at the till.
The latest Household Basket Index, released at the end of January, shows that a basic monthly food basket still costs around R5,400.
Money coach at 1Life’s Truth About Money, Hayley Parry, says the jump from December to January was especially tough.
She says some households were forced to find extra money for groceries at a time when budgets are already stretched.
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Parry says the pressure pushed families into reactive spending.
"That typically means relying more on credit, buying less nutritious food or skipping their planning process altogether. And it's simply because people are just really very stressed.
"What I find helpful is focusing on what you can control. And one of the best ways to do that is to plan your food spending weekly, shop with a list, compare prices across stores, and build in a small buffer into your grocery budget if you can, because these small habits can help create a breathing room for financially stressed consumers."
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