Prices of Household Items Increase Amid Schools Closure - Report

A report by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) has revealed increased prices of notable household items, including detergents and school materials, amid school closure for the August holiday.

With school children back at home, parents are expected to spend more on household items during the holiday.

In a detailed inflation report for July, KNBS highlighted that toothpaste, mouthwash, and tissue paper had risen in prices at the end of July.

For instance, the prices of toothpaste and mouthwash have risen by 1.7%. Tissue paper prices have increased by 1.6%, and toilet soap by 1.1%.

Equally, the prices for detergent have gone up by 0.9% while laundry soap/bar soap prices rose by 0.4% by the end of July.

Parents who wish to buy exercise books and textbooks for their children during the holidays will also be spending more. This is after the report showed that prices of school textbooks for pre-primary and primary levels rose by 0.3%, while those of exercise books increased by 0.2%.

For kitchen expenses, there are reported mixed changes. For instance, cooking gas/LPG prices rose moderately by 0.4% as some food items have recorded a drop, offering a reprieve to many households.

Some of the food items that have dropped include oranges (2.6%), Irish potatoes (2.0%), cabbage (1.3%), carrots(0.7%), cooking oil (0.6%), and beans (0.5%).

Average Prices Listed in the KNBS report (Based on data ended July 31)

Oranges (1 Kg) - Ksh105.72

Potatoes (Irish) (1 Kg) - Ksh123.83

Cabbages (1 Kg) - Ksh83.98

Carrots (1 Kg) - Ksh128.08

Cooking Oil (Salad) (1 Litre) - Ksh345.03

Beans (1 Kg) - Ksh183.95

Fresh packeted cow milk (500 milliliters) - Ksh56.26

Beef - With Bones (1 Kg) - Ksh693.85

Onion -Leeks and Bulbs (1 Kg) - Ksh107.37

Maize Grain - Loose (1 Kg) - Ksh71.24

Tomatoes (1 Kg) - Ksh84.88

Kale-Sukuma Wiki (1 Kg) - Ksh91.62

Sugar (1 Kg) - Ksh186.78

Maize Flour - Loose (1 Kg) - Ksh75.88

Electricity (200 Kwh) - Ksh5656.22

House rent - single room (1 Month) - Ksh4179.89

Gas/LPG (13 Kg) - Ksh3146.58

Electricity (50 Kwh) - Ksh1288.82

Kerosene/Paraffin (1 Litre) - Ksh157.76

Petrol (1 Litre) - Ksh187.37

Diesel (1 Litre) - Ksh172.75