However, Rotorua mother-of-three Amelia Bosworth said the decrease was too small for shoppers to see any real change.
"It is still incredibly expensive to feed an average family of five, especially when you are trying to steer clear of junk food.
"At the top of the most-expensive list is meat closely followed by dairy products.
"Margarine isn't too bad but cheese is so expensive that we haven't been able to buy it in a few years."
Ms Bosworth said groceries were particularly expensive if you couldn't buy in bulk.
Pearl Pavett from the Rotorua Budget Advisory service said the key to saving money on groceries was planning meals ahead of time and making a shopping list.
"Also by planning your meals ahead of time, you can cook a large amount of mince and divide it between two or three meals, rather than buying three small packets of mince."
Readers on the Rotorua Daily Post Facebook page agreed meat was the item that pushed grocery bills up, closely followed by dairy and fruit and vegetables.
One reader said they hadn't noticed a decrease in prices and some weeks "even mince is out of our price range".
"Food in general is expensive, but it is cheaper to buy junk food than it is to buy good wholesome food.
"... You can buy fizzy [drink] cheaper than milk and the price of meat and vegetables is horrific," another said.
Changes in food prices year to June 2015
Grocery food prices: 2.1 per cent decrease
Meat, poultry and fish: 1.9 per cent decrease
Restaurant meals and ready-to-eat food: 1.9 per cent increase
Non-alcoholic beverages: 4.1 per cent increase
Fruit: 5.3 per cent increase
- Statistics New Zealand
