If you think cheese seems cheaper, you'd be right – latest figures out from Statistics New Zealand shows food prices have dropped with cheese lovers the real winners.

Food prices for the year to June show a decrease of 0.5 per cent, influenced by lower grocery food prices which are down by 2.3 per cent compared with June last year.

Cheese prices have dropped by 9.5 per cent. File photo.

Cheese prices were down by 9.5 per cent with fresh milk down 3.9 per cent and yoghurt dropping by 9.2 per cent, says Consumer Prices manager Matt Haig.

'The average price of a kilo of cheddar cheese was $7.68 in June 2016, down from $9.12 in June 2015. This was the lowest price since September 2007.”

While dairy products had a big drop, meat, poultry and fish prices decreased 0.9 per cent in the year. However, chicken was down by 5.3 per cent with processed meat dropping by 2.9 per cent, and lamb down by 5.2 per cent. This partly offset the higher prices for beef which increased by 4.3 per cent.

Unfortunately for fruit and veggie lovers, fruit and vegetable prices increased 2.0 per cent over the year, with continued record high prices for avocados up and incredible 146 per cent, this was partly offset by lower prices for tomatoes down 20 per cent.

Restaurant meals and ready-to-eat food increased 1.6 per cent in the year to June 2016. Overall, food prices rose by 0.4 per cent in June, the rise was mainly influenced by higher fruit and vegetable prices up 4.2 per cent. However, after adjusting for seasonal effects, food prices fell 0.9 percent.

Vegetable prices rose 8.4 per cent in June, led by seasonally higher prices for cucumbers, capsicums, and lettuce. After seasonal adjustment vegetable prices fell 6.5 per cent, with smaller price rises for tomatoes than usual for this time of year. Fruit prices fell 0.9 per cent, with lower prices for mandarins.

Grocery food prices fell 0.7 per cent, with lower prices for milk, cheese, and eggs. Meat poultry and fish prices fell 0.2 per cent, with lower prices for lamb.