Food prices in Antigua and Barbuda fell sharply at the start of the year, with the Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages index declining 4.9% in January compared with December, according to the latest Consumer Price Index report released by the National Bureau of Statistics.

The decline reflects significant reductions in supermarket prices across several major food groups during the month.

The overall food index dropped 5.0%, with seven of the nine major food categories recording decreases.

Among the largest price reductions were meat and meat products, which fell 8.4%, fish and seafood down 8.0%, vegetables down 7.2%, and fruit declining 6.9% compared with the previous month.

The report also noted that the drop in food prices contributed significantly to the broader decline in consumer prices for January.

Despite the widespread decreases, some items recorded slight increases during the month. Prices for bread and cereals rose 0.5%, while sugar, jams, honey, chocolate and confectionery increased by 0.1%.

Non-alcoholic beverage prices also fell, declining 4.1%, driven by lower prices for soft drinks and mineral water.

The Consumer Price Index measures changes in the prices of goods and services commonly purchased by households and is used as the main indicator of inflation and cost-of-living trends in Antigua and Barbuda.