Press Release

Republic of Zambia

Central Statistical Office

P.O. Box 31908, Lusaka

For immediate Release

Thursday, August 25, 2011
Information
Enquiries

Tel: +260-1-253468
Tel/Fax: +260-1-253468/253609
E-mail: info@zamstats.gov.zm
Website: www.zamstats.gov.zm

Consumer Price Index (CPI) August, 2011

The annual rate of inflation, as measured by the all items Consumer Price Index (CPI), declined
to 8.3 percent in August 2011 from 9.0 percent in July 2011. The decrease is attributed to
reductions in food and non-food prices.

Annual Inflation Rate

August 2010-August 2011

(Percentage)

10
8
6
4
2
0
Jul

Aug

Sept

Oct

Nov

Dec

Jan

Feb
Composite

Source: CSO, Price Statistics

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Contributions of the different Items to overall Inflation

Of the total 8.3 percent annual inflation rate in August 2011, food products accounted
for 2.5 percentage points, while non-food products in the Consumer Price Index (CPI)
accounted for a total of 5.8 percentage points.
Percentage Points Contributions of different
Items to overall inflation

Item

July 2011

Food, Beverages and Tobacco

Clothing and Footwear
Rent and household energy
Furniture and Household Goods
Medical Care
Transport (fuel, air fares, new motor vehicles)
Recreation and Education
Other Goods and Services
All Items
Source: CSO, Price Statistics

August 2011

2.8

2.5

0.8

0.8

2.7

2.4

1.5

1.2

0.1

0.1

0.2

0.4

0.7

0.7

0.2

0.2

9.0

8.3

The Annual food and Non- food inflation rate

The annual food inflation rate was recorded at 5.4 percent in August, 2011. This is a
decrease from 5.9 percent in July, 2011.
The annual non-food inflation rate stood at 10.9 percent in August, 2011. This is a
decrease from 11.8 percent in July 2011. Regarding disaggregate groups, annual rates
of inflation reduced for Food and beverages; Clothing and footwear; Household fuel
and lighting; Medical care; and Furniture and household goods. The annual rates of
inflation increased for Transport and communication; Recreation and education; and
Other goods and services.
Retail prices of selected food products
A comparison of retail prices between July 2011 and August 2011, shows that the
national average price of a 25 kg bag of white breakfast mealie meal slightly reduced
by 0.3 percent, from K47, 987 to K47,855. The average price of 1kg of dried kapenta
(Mpulungu) reduced by 5.5 percent, from K55, 179 to K52,132, while the average price
of 1kg of tomatoes reduced by 8.4 percent, from K4,492 to K4,114.
However, the national average price of a 20 litre tin of maize grain increased by 4.2
percent, from K16, 973 to K17, 678. The national average price of a 25 kg bag of white
roller mealie meal slightly increased by 0.2 percent, from K33, 536 to K33, 604. The
national average price of 1kg of dressed chicken increased by 2.0 percent, from
K16, 788 to K17,126, while the average price of 1kg of fresh fish (bream) increased by
2.7 percent, from K16,366 to K16,801.

TABLE 1: Index Numbers of Consumer Prices by Food and Non-Food Items

(1994 WEIGHTS)

1994 = 100
Non-Food

Period

Total

Food

Weight
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001

1000
4.3
8.6
22.8
64.7
100.0
134.9
193.0
240.2
298.9
379.0
477.7
579.9

571
4.0
7.7
23.2
66.2
100.0
135.2
192.7
234.0
291.5
357.3
438.0
520.7

429
4.8
9.8
22.4
62.7
100.0
134.5
193.4
248.3
308.7
407.7
530.2
658.4

1397.5
1430.1
1441.9
1441.0
1438.0
1441.0
1445.8
1450.9
1457.1
1462.0
1481.2
1501.2
1527.9
1566.4
1582.7
1587.2
1594.1
1615.3
1628.7
1643.0
1664.2
1684.1
1708.3
1749.8
1773.0
1785.0
1789.9
1813.7
1828.0
1847.9
1856.5
1877.4
1879.9
1890.8
1905.1
1923.5
1942.4
1959.3
1972.2
1981.0
1994.2
1992.4
2013.1
2031.5
2024.9
2028.7
2040.2
2075.7
2117.9
2136.2
2154.1
2154.9
2171.0
2171.0
2193.6
2200.3

1206.8
1231.4
1247.2
1241.2
1225.4
1216.5
1224.4
1220.6
1223.9
1226.2
1243.8
1268.6
1290.1
1342.9
1360.5
1362.4
1368.2
1406.8
1397.9
1419.2
1422.1
1441.4
1473.7
1528.5
1565.2
1562.0
1549.9
1579.2
1588.6
1604.6
1606.6
1626.9
1619.3
1618.5
1637.5
1651.3
1676.7
1689.7
1694.5
1694.0
1691.8
1665.2
1673.0
1673.7
1664.1
1673.1
1679.0
1724.5
1764.4
1765.2
1758.7
1749.8
1762.6
1753.8
1771.3
1763.9

1650.5
1693.6
1700.1
1706.0
1720.0
1738.9
1739.5
1756.5
1766.5
1774.9
1796.2
1809.8
1843.4
1863.0
1877.4
1885.4
1893.8
1892.0
1934.8
1940.0
1985.6
2006.3
2019.7
2043.4
2048.8
2081.1
2108.5
2125.0
2145.8
2171.0
2188.1
2210.1
2226.1
2252.4
2260.5
2285.0
2294.7
2317.2
2341.0
2362.0
2395.7
2427.0
2464.7
2506.8
2504.2
2501.1
2520.1
2542.3
2587.4
2629.1
2679.3
2692.2
2713.4
2725.0
2754.6
2780.0

2007 January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
2008 January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
2009 January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
2010
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
2011
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August

Source: CSO, Price Statistics

TABLE 2: MONTH ON MONTH INFLATION RATES

Period
Jan 06 Dec
Feb 06 Jan
Mar 06 Feb
Apr 06 Mar
May 06 Apr
Jun 06 May
Jul 06 Jun
Aug 06 Jul
Sep 06 Aug
Oct 06 Sep
Nov 06 Oct
Dec 06 Nov
Jan 07 Dec
Feb 07 Jan
Mar 07 Feb
Apr 07 Mar
May 07 Apr
Jun 07 May
Jul 07 Jun
Aug 07 Jul
Sep 07 Aug
Oct 07 Sep
Nov 07 Oct
Dec 07 Nov
Jan 08 Dec
Feb 08 Jan
Mar 08 Feb
Apr 08 Mar
May 08 Apr
Jun 08 May
Jul 08 Jun
Aug 08 Jul
Sep 08 Aug
Oct 08 Sep
Nov 08 Oct
Dec 08 Nov
Jan 09 Dec
Feb 09 Jan
Mar 09 Feb
Apr 09 Mar
May 09 Apr
Jun 09 May
Jul 09 Jun
Aug 09 Jul
Sep 09 Aug
Oct 09 Sep
Nov 09 Oct
Dec 08 Nov
Jan 10 Dec
Feb 10 Jan
Mar 10 Feb
Apr 10 Mar
May 10 Apr
Jun 10 May
Jul 10 Jun
Aug 10 Jul
Sep 10 Aug
Oct 10 Sep
Nov 10 Oct
Dec 10 Nov
Jan 11 Dec
Feb 11 Jan
Mar 11 Feb
Apr 11 Mar
May 11 Apr
Jun 11 May
Jul 11 Jun
Aug 11 Jul

05
06
06
06
06
06
06
06
06
06
06
06
06
07
07
07
07
07
07
07
07
07
07
07
07
08
08
08
08
08
08
08
08
08
08
08
08
09
09
09
09
09
09
09
09
09
09
08
09
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
11
11
11
11
11
11
11

Total
-0.1
-0.2
0.8
0.2
0.4
0.8
0.3
0.8
1.6
0.7
1.5
1.2
1.4
2.3
0.8
-0.1
-0.2
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.4
0.3
1.3
1.3
1.8
2.5
1.0
0.3
0.4
1.3
0.8
0.9
1.3
1.2
1.4
2.4
1.3
0.7
0.3
1.3
0.8
1.1
0.5
1.1
0.1
0.6
0.8
1.0
1.0
0.9
0.7
0.4
0.7
-0.1
1.0
0.9
-0.3
0.2
0.6
1.7
2.0
0.9
0.8
0.0
0.7
0.0
1.0
0.3

Food
-0.5
-1.0
0.6
-1.1
-1.4
0.1
-1.1
-1.5
1.9
0.7
1.9
1.3
0.7
2.0
1.3
-0.5
-1.3
-0.7
0.6
-0.3
0.3
0.2
1.4
2.0
1.7
4.1
1.3
0.1
0.4
2.8
-0.6
1.5
0.2
1.4
2.2
3.7
2.4
-0.2
-0.8
1.9
0.6
1.0
0.1
1.3
-0.5
0.0
1.2
0.8
1.5
0.8
0.3
0.0
-0.1
-1.6
0.5
0.0
-0.6
0.5
0.3
2.7
2.3
0.0
-0.4
-0.5
0.7
-0.5
1.0
-0.4

Source: CSO, Price Statistics

Non-Food
0.5
0.8
0.9
0.5
2.4
1.5
1.8
3.0
1.4
0.7
1.2
1.0
2.1
2.6
0.4
0.4
0.8
1.1
0.0
1.0
0.6
0.5
1.2
0.8
1.9
1.1
0.8.
0.4
0.5
-0.1
2.3
0.3
2.3
1.5
0.7
1.2
0.3
1.6
1.3
0.8
1.0
1.2
0.8
1.0
0.7
1.2
0.4
1.1
0.4
1.0
1.0
0.9
1.4
1.3
1.6
1.7
-0.1
-0.1
0.8
0.9
1.8
1.6
1.9
0.5
0.8
0.4
1.1
0.9

TABLE 3: TWELVE-MONTH INFLATION RATES

Period
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug

06
06
06
06
06
06
06
06
06
06
06
06
07
07
07
07
07
07
07
07
07
07
07
07
08
08
08
08
08
08
08
08
08
08
08
08
09
09
09
09
09
09
09
09
09
09
09
09
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
11
11
11
11
11
11
11
11

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
Apr
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug

05
05
05
05
05
05
05
05
05
05
05
05
06
06
06
o6
06
06
06
06
06
06
06
06
07
07
07
07
07
07
07
07
07
07
07
07
08
08
08
08
08
08
08
08
08
08
08
08
09
09
09
09
09
09
09
09
09
09
09
09
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10

Total

Food

Non-Food

12.2
10.3
10.7
9.4
8.6
8.5
8.7
8.0
8.2
7.9
8.1
8.2
9.8
12.6
12.7
12.4
11.8
11.1
11.2
10.7
9.3
9.0
8.7
8.9
9.3
9.5
9.8
10.1
10.9
12.1
12.6
13.2
14.2
15.2
15.3
16.6
16.0
14.0
13.1
14.3
14.7
14.4
14.0
14.3
13.0
12.3
11.5
9.9
9.6
9.8
10.2
9.2
9.1
7.8
8.4
8.2
7.7
7.3
7.1
7.9
9.0
9.0
9.2
8.8
8.9
9.0
9.0
8.3

12.8
10.2
10.9
8.3
5.6
5.3
4.3
0.4
1.5
1.0
0.8
-0.2
1.0
4.2
4.9
5.5
5.7
4.8
6.7
7.9
6.2
5.6
5.2
5.9
6.9
9.1
9.1
9.8
11.7
15.6
14.2
16.3
16.2
17.6
18.5
20.5
21.3
16.3
13.9
15.9
16.1
14.1
14.9
14.6
13.9
12.3
11.1
8.0
7.1
8.2
9.3
7.3
6.5
3.8
4.1
2.9
2.8
3.4
2.5
4.4
5.2
4.5
3.8
3.3
4.2
5.3
5.9
5.4

11.5
10.3
10.4
10.6
12.0
12.1
13.6
16.4
15.7
15.4
16.2
18.1
20.0
22.1
21.5
20.1
18.2
17.7
15.6
13.3
12.4
12.2
12.2
11.9
11.7
10.0
10.4
10.5
10.1
8.8
11.2
10.4
12.4
13.0
12.4
12.9
11.1
11.7
12.3
12.7
13.3
14.7
13.1
13.9
12.1
12.3
11.9
11.8
12.0
11.3
11.0
11.2
11.6
11.8
12.6
13.4
12.5
11.0
11.5
11.3
12.8
13.5
14.5
14.0
13.3
12.3
11.8
10.9

Source: CSO, Price Statistics

These Consumer Price Indices cover three series, namely:

The Metropolitan Low Income Group; which covers Low Income households in the
urban areas

The Metropolitan High Income Group; which covers High Income households in the
urban areas

The Non-Metropolitan Group; covering households in rural areas.

The Metropolitan areas comprise the 10 major towns. These include Livingstone, Lusaka
urban, Kabwe urban and all the Copperbelt towns. The Metropolitan areas are further classified
into Low and High Income households. All the small towns and the rural parts form the NonMetropolitan.
In addition, a Composite Consumer Price Index series combining the three groups is also
compiled. The base period for the Consumer Price Index is 1994.

John Kalumbi
ACTING DIRECTOR - CENTRAL STATISTICAL OFFICE