Many countries measure inflation through the analysis of the Consumer Price Index (CPI). For example, the Malaysia Consumer Price Index tracks the changing costs of 13 main categories of goods and services purchased by Malaysian households.
The Consumer Price Index may be an in-depth way of tracking inflation but some of us may use simpler ways to gauge inflation, which is through the changing prices of our favourite food in the country like the humble roti canai. After all, many conversations about inflation among us average joes start in casual settings involving changing prices of everyday items that we experience firsthand.
Prices Of Roti Canai Over The Years
Popular in Malaysia, roti canai is a flattened bread made with flour and oil and pan fried to create a crispy exterior. The dish is also known by roti prata in Singapore and roti cane in Indonesia.
Roti canai can be eaten for breakfast, lunch, dinner or supper and was found to be the top breakfast order during the pandemic in 2020, according to food delivery platforms, as reported by news outlets.
Given its wide consumption, the rising price of this staple dish, roti canai is probably something many of us would observe first and experience firsthand.
Based on data from the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM), the average price of roti canai was only RM0.90 per piece back in 2011. Over the course of 10 years, the price of ”roti canai” had risen to RM1.14 per piece in 2021. This translates to an average annual inflation of 2.3%, which is still reasonable and consistent with the overall price trends.
By 2022, roti canai had increased to RM1.32 per piece. We had to pay RM0.18 more for a piece of roti canai compared to in 2021. This equates to an inflation of 15.7%. According to DOSM, the food and beverage category saw one of the highest annual inflations in 2022 at 5.8%.
In 2023, roti canai prices rose further to RM1.47 per piece, which works up to an inflation of 11.3% from the previous year. The food and beverage category saw an inflation 4.8% in 2023, based on DOSM data.
By 2024, the price of roti canai had increased to RM1.54 per piece, which is 4.7% higher than in 2023. Meanwhile, DOSM reported that food and beverage recorded an annual inflation of 2.0% in 2024.
What Changing Prices Of Roti Canai Tell Us About Inflation
As we can see, roti canai experienced steep price increases in recent years. In the past, the affordably priced dish had always been the go-to food for those who wanted to save on meals during tougher times.
The sharper price increases of roti canai in recent years may be due to several reasons. This includes the higher prices of ingredients required to make roti canai, which mainly include flour.
In 2022, price of wheat flour recorded the highest increase among other foods by around 10% in the first half of the year amid the Russia-Ukraine conflict and export ban of flour by India.
Besides that, the higher prices of food may also reflect a wider economic situation with increased costs in rental and labour. According to PropertyGuru, the commercial property market recorded major growth with a total value of around RM29 billion in 2019 compared to RM6.4 billion in 2001.
At the same time, the government had implemented the minimum wage policy in 2022, which might have exacerbated the situation. From May 2022, the minimum wage rates had been increased to RM1,500 per month from RM1,200 a month previously.
Read Also: Ampang, Batu, Cheras, Setapak: How Much Does It Cost To Rent In Different Districts In KL
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