Higher prices for vegetables led food price inflation of 0.7 per cent in July 2018, Stats NZ says today.

Vegetable prices rose 9.2 per cent in the month, with higher prices for fresh lettuce (up 77 per cent), tomatoes (up 30 per cent), and broccoli (up 24 per cent) making the largest contributions.

After adjusting for seasonal effects, vegetable prices rose 3.8 per cent.

The price of a 500g head of lettuce was $5.42 in July 2018, compared with $3.07 in June 2018, and $3.30 in July 2017.

'Lettuce prices are now at their highest since the series began, and 2.5 percent higher than their previous peak in May 2017,” says consumer prices manager Geraldine Duoba.

'July was particularly cold and wet in the North Island where a lot of our lettuce is grown.”

A 7.9 per cent fall in fruit prices partly offset the rise in vegetable prices. Seasonally cheaper avocados (down 36 per cent) had the largest impact, followed by nectarines and strawberries.

After adjusting for seasonal effects, fruit prices fell 2.2 per cent.

Food prices up 1.1 percent in the year to July 2018

Restaurant meals and ready-to-eat food prices increased 3.2 per cent in the year to July 2018, the highest annual increase since September 2011.

All items priced in this category increased in price during the year.

'Large seasonal changes in fruit and vegetable prices tend to lead monthly food price movements,” says Geraldine.

'But price increases for restaurant meals and ready-to-eat food have been consistent, and led annual food price inflation this year.”