The price of consumer goods has been consistently on the rise since mid 2020, and the effects are starting to bite.

In the March 2022 quarter the Consumer Price Index, published today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, rose by 2.1 per cent, and 5.1 annually, said head of prices statistics at the ABS, Michelle Marquardt.

"Annual price inflation of goods was the highest since 2008," she said.

Driving these increases was the price of fuel and construction costs. Fuel prices continued their astronomical rise, with fuel prices at levels not seen since the 1990 Iraqi invasion of Kuwait.

"The CPI's automotive fuel series reached a record level for the third consecutive quarter, with fuel price rises seen across all three months of the March quarter," Ms Marquardt said.

The supermarket shop is also becoming more expensive, with annual growth in the cost of food and non-alcoholic beverages of 2.8 per cent. Vegetables and fruit jumped in price due to supply chain disruptions and flooding in NSW and Queensland impacting crops.

According to senior analyst at Rabobank, Michael Harvey, the rise in food prices should be expected to continue.

"Consumers should be bracing for further food price rises in coming months, as the impacts of higher transport costs, supply chain disruptions and other increased input costs make their way through the system," he said.

The ABS said price rises in takeaway and meals out were reduced by schemes such as NSW's Dine & Discover.

The Illawarra has also been hit hard by increases in rents, with the region now having the highest rents of anywhere in NSW.

Increasing community concern over rising prices was the central plank of Josh Frydenberg's 2022 budget, pitched at the hip pocket ahead of the election, but will measures such as a $250 one-off payment for pensioners and a temporary cut in the fuel excise be enough to sway Illawarra voters at the upcoming election?

Wollongong resident Russell Walton said he and his family live frugally, but this hasn't meant they've avoided the impact.

"We are noticing it. the grocery bills are going up a little bit more, especially when you've got four adult kids living at home," he said.

Tracey Wilson, of Thirroul, said rising prices were having an impact on her wellbeing.

"I can't buy as much as I used to, the grocery prices have put my blood pressure way up, I can't do as much as I used to and I'm worried about paying my bills," she said.

For others, such as Coniston resident Angela Cowan, rising food prices were offset by reduced spending on other items.

"I am aware of [price rises] but I think with COVID, because we're not travelling and we're working from home, it's kind of offset it, so it hasn't impacted my family so much."

Wollongong resident Stephanie Mills said housing was her main concern.

"It's [cost of living] has affected me a little bit with housing I've found. Especially being so young and in a new city."

Follow the link to see what the candidates for Gilmore had to say on how they propose to address cost of living pressures.

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