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The Studies in Poverty and Inequality Institute (SPII) decided to launch its Basic Needs Basket research programme. The Basic Needs Basket is a monthly survey of the cost of essential food and non- food items that comprise the minimum basket of goods needed for an averaged sized family to survive with a decent and healthy standard of living.

The Studies in Poverty and Inequality Institute (SPII) was registered in 2006 due to a growing concern about poverty and inequality in South Africa. SPI’s core mission was to understand the nature and causes of poverty and inequality and to contribute to policy solutions. In 2006 South Africa did not have any measurement of poverty like the national poverty lines we have now, which were introduced in part as a response to SPII’s early work. SPII’s first project focused on understanding poverty through a level of knowledge that is deeper than money-metric poverty lines. This led to the development of the highly successful Decent Standard of Living (DSL) project in which SPII collaborated with various partners, including organised labour, civil society, academia, Social Development, StatsSA, National Treasury, and the Presidency.

With the estimated income for a single black South African at R2900, spread across a household of 3.9 people, the cost of living is proving to be unaffordable. The Basic Needs Basket is a monthly survey of the cost of essential food and non-food items that comprise the items that a low income family in both rural and urban areas across the nine provinces of South Africa deem necessary.

The Basic Needs Basket is a monthly survey of the cost of essential food and non- food items that comprise the items that a low income family in both rural and urban areas across the nine provinces of South Africa consider to be basic necessities. The BNB project seeks to generate information regarding the impact of price inflation on the spending power on goods and services that are frequently consumed by low income households

The Basic Needs Basket Project grew out of a need to contextualise how poverty, an unstable economy, inflation and increasing food and basic necessities costs affect lower income households and their ability to lead a decent standard of living. In highlighting the need to address the unacceptable poverty that has become a reality for the majority, the Basic Needs Basket Project has endeavoured to broaden the dialogue on poverty, hunger and what is required for a dignified, decent, affordable and healthy lifestyle for all.