People shop at Lambton Quay in Wellington, New Zealand, September 24, 2025. REUTERS/Marty Melville

(Corrects headline and first paragraph to reflect Statistics New Zealand later said food prices fell 0.4%, not rose 0.3%; year-ago index rose 4.1%, not 5%)

SYDNEY (Reuters) -New Zealand food prices fell 0.4% in September, data from Statistics New Zealand showed on Thursday, while the index rose 4.1% from the same month last year.

Food prices make up nearly 19% of the consumer price index.

(Reporting by Renju Jose in Sydney;)