1344.8.55.001 - ACT Stats, 2005  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 11/04/2005   
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Contents >> Canberra's Average Retail Prices - Apr 2005

This article discusses the average retail prices for selected items and groups of items in Canberra, with comparison to other capital cities. The items have been selected as representative to measure price change over time rather than to measure the average prices of all retail sales of the related items. Data for this article has been sourced from the ABS publication Average Retail Prices of Selected Items, Eight Capital Cities (cat. no. 6403.0.55.001).

Dairy Products

The average retail price of milk increased over the last 10 years in all capital cities. At December 2004, Canberra recorded the lowest average retail price for a 2 litre bottle of milk for any capital city ($2.69). Perth recorded the second lowest price ($2.70), while Darwin recorded the highest price at $3.15, 17% higher than that recorded in Canberra.

Between December 1994 and December 1999, the average retail price for one litre of milk in all other capital cities rose an average of 30%. During the same period, Canberra's average retail price for one litre of milk rose 9%.

Average Retail Price for Milk, 1999-2004
Graph: Average Retail Price for Milk, 1999-2004

Meat

Meat prices have shown an upward trend in Canberra between 1994 and 2004, with much of this price rise occurring in the last five years. The largest price increases since 1999 were recorded for lamb loin chops (up 89%), lamb fore-quarter chops (up 71%) and T-bone steak (up 60%). The smallest increases were recorded for frozen chicken (up 5%), legs of pork (up 9%), and sausages (up 14%).

At December 2004, Canberra's average retail prices for both T-bone steak ($18.63 per kg), and roast beef ($11.84 per kg), were the highest for any capital city. Canberra recorded the lowest average retail price for any capital city for lamb forequarter chops ($7.49 per kg), and legs of lamb ($8.44 per kg).

Fruit

The average retail prices of fruit in the ACT have increased over the last five years. Tomatoes recorded the largest increase, up 75 cents from December 1999 to December 2004, followed by canned peaches (up 43 cents). The exception was the average retail price of oranges, which fell 9 cents over the same period.

Canberra's average retail price for bananas ($2.68 per kg) was the lowest for any capital city at December 2004. Perth recorded the highest average retail price for bananas ($3.03), followed by Melbourne ($2.93).

Snacks, Confectionary and other food.

The average retail price for a 250 g block of chocolate in Canberra at December 2004 was $3.19, six cents lower than in 1999 ($3.25). Among the other foods listed in this section, Canberra's average retail price for teabags ($3.83) was the highest for any capital city.

The largest price increase was for eggs, up 64 cents from $2.71 per dozen in 1999, to $3.35 per dozen in 2004. Darwin, Perth and Hobart were the only capital cities to record a greater price increase than Canberra over this time ($1.14, $1.13 and $1.02 respectively).

Between December 1999 and December 2004, the average retail price of white sugar in Canberra fell 10 cents from $2.30 per kilogram to $2.20 per kilogram. This was the smallest reduction in price of all capital cities that recorded a fall. Brisbane recorded the largest price fall over this period, down 31 cents, followed by Perth (down 21 cents) and Sydney (down 18 cents). Adelaide, Hobart and Darwin all recorded price increases over this period.

Private motoring

The average retail price for unleaded petrol in Canberra at December 2004, was 104.2 cents per litre. This was an increase of 23.7 cents per litre, or 29% since 1999 (80.5 cents per litre). Darwin recorded the highest average retail price for unleaded petrol at December 2004, at 110.8 cents per litre. Petrol in Canberra was above the average petrol price (103.5 cents per litre) of all other capital cities.

Alcoholic drinks

Canberra recorded the lowest average retail price of any capital city for the following alcoholic items as at December 2004:
  • 24 bottles (355ml - 375ml) of low alcohol beer ($22.96)
  • a glass (285ml) of low alcohol beer purchased at a bar ($1.97)
  • a glass (285ml) of full strength draught beer purchased at bar ($2.26)
  • a nip (30ml) of scotch at a public bar ($3.63).

The most expensive city for these beer items was Perth ($29.60, $3.08 and $3.19 respectively). Adelaide recorded the highest average retail price for a nip of scotch at $4.89.
Average Retail Price of Alcohol at Public Bar, December 2004




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