New Zealand's recorded its highest annual food price increase in more than a decade. 

The latest Stats NZ data shows food prices were 7.6 percent higher in March compared with the same time last year – the largest increase since July 2011. 

Consumer Affairs Minister David Clark told Andrew Dickens the figure highlights the role the grocery sector is playing in driving up prices. 

“Globally, we know we have inflation going on, that’s true, but what we can see here is that the food price index has gone ahead of inflation.” 

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