The price of food is continuing to rise, with a 1.4% increase in the last month.

That follows small percentage rises in both May and April.

Statistics New Zealand says the increase is being influenced by seasonally higher prices for fresh vegetables and meat.

Vegetable prices rose almost 9% in June, although the cost of fruit dropped slightly.

Prices for meat, poultry and fish rose 3.6% - the largest monthly rise in years.

Other items increasing in cost are dairy products, with butter up almost 8%.

In the last year food prices have increased by 1.2% overall.