Latest news with #NZGrocerySurvey
NZ Herald
04-05-2025
- Business
- NZ Herald
Cost-of-living crisis: More Northlanders seek food aid as prices soar
'It's every size family, every ethnicity and age – it has increased across the board.' Howan said the Whangārei branch recently boosted its food allocation to allow 80 households per week through its Aubrey St social supermarket. He said the appointments, which allow families to choose food they need off the shelves, booked out. 'The fact is the price of everything, food included, has increased at a rate considerably higher than people's incomes have increased,' Howan said. 'If the Government could do something about pricing or about income ... whether it's an ability to raise incomes or lower prices, certainly the pressure on everybody now would come off.' Consumer NZ has repeatedly called for stronger regulation of supermarket pricing. The organisation's latest NZ Grocery Survey, carried out in mid-April, revealed a 'strong public appetite' for government action to improve access to affordable food. The survey revealed the growing impact of rising prices on households as 30% of people needed help to get food from foodbanks, friends, family or Work and Income over the past year. 'New Zealanders are struggling to access quality food at affordable prices, and they're not seeing meaningful change at the checkout,' Consumer NZ chief executive Jon Duffy said. The survey found people have low confidence in the Government's efforts to keep food affordable despite promises to tackle the cost of living. Finance Minister Nicola Willis said in March the Government would consider a possible break-up of New Zealand's supermarket duopoly in an effort to boost competition. Bald Angels Charitable Trust founder Therese Wickbom said the charity had received more referrals for support, particularly for food parcels. 'They're [families] quite literally going without. 'We need to be doing a lot better to ensure people can eat, feed, and clothe their children, and I see that not happening and getting exponentially worse over the last 12 months.' Wickbom urged the Government to 'wake up'. 'Take the blinkers off and look at how people are trying to survive and failing because of the food prices, the cost of living, the lack of jobs ... it's a systemic failure.' Kaitāia Family Budgeting Services financial mentor Susana Filimalo said food prices were one of the biggest issues whānau dealt with, along with high rents. 'The income doesn't cover the cost of living, and they sometimes put food before the rent. 'The cost of living is high, and our people are struggling to manage.' Filimalo said the budgeting service gets lots of referrals for food parcels, particularly during school holidays. 'When it's school holidays, whānau have kids in the house and they come in for food parcels because they can't afford the cost of food.' Duffy said consumers were turning to cost-saving strategies, such as shopping around and buying in bulk, to deal with growing pressure on household budgets. 'We are hearing loud and clear that shoppers feel unsupported and are losing trust – not just in supermarkets, but in the laws and systems that are meant to protect them. 'To restore confidence, we need tougher regulation and greater enforcement to tackle pricing practices and market power in New Zealand's grocery sector.' Financial mentor Susana Filimalo's tips for shopping on a tight budget. Grow your own vegetables. Buy what is on special rather than what you might prefer. Don't go shopping when you're hungry. Set a 'treat day' once a month for food treats, so you're not wasting money on expensive takeaways. Prioritise food and cook at home. Ensure you have the basics in the pantry, like flour and rice. Jenny Ling is a senior journalist at the Northern Advocate. She has a special interest in covering human interest stories, along with finance, roading, and animal welfare issues.
Scoop
23-04-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Despite Low Confidence In Government Efforts, People Want Urgent Action To Lower Grocery Bills
Press Release – Consumer NZ Consumers NZ Grocery Survey, carried out in mid-April, reveals a strong public appetite for government action to improve access to affordable food. Many respondents called for clear and effective intervention by the government, while also expressing … Consumer NZ calls for stronger regulation of supermarket pricing and promotional practices following its new survey on supermarkets. Consumer's NZ Grocery Survey, carried out in mid-April, reveals a strong public appetite for government action to improve access to affordable food. Many respondents called for clear and effective intervention by the government, while also expressing low confidence in its ability to deliver. 'New Zealanders are struggling to access quality food at affordable prices, and they're not seeing meaningful change at the checkout,' says Consumer NZ chief executive Jon Duffy. 'We're pleased the government has kicked off a request for information process to explore how new entrants could help increase competition and deliver better grocery prices for New Zealanders. But the urgency is real.' The survey also revealed the growing impact of rising prices on households. Thirty percent of people have needed help over the past year to get food – for example, from foodbanks, friends, family or Work and Income – based on the survey results. The cost of living remains the highest concern for New Zealanders across all age groups and has for three years according to its Sentiment Tracker. Low confidence in government action The nationally representative survey shows most New Zealanders don't believe the government is doing enough to keep food affordable. Two-thirds of people (66%) said they have low confidence in current government policies, while just 9% expressed high confidence in government action. Distrust in supermarkets also rising These results provide valuable insights into more recent trends in public trust in supermarkets and the government, as shown in Consumer NZ's Sentiment Tracker. Source: Consumer Sentiment Tracker Shoppers also report limited or declining trust in supermarkets to price and promote products fairly — an issue that raises additional concerns about consumer protection. 'There's increasing discomfort with how data is being used in loyalty schemes, and whether the deals offered actually benefit the consumer,' Duffy says. Strong support for government regulation When asked in the Grocery Survey what could be done to keep food accessible, hundreds of respondents said food is simply too expensive and urgent action is needed. Many supported stronger regulation and clearer rules to stop misleading promotions, not just more competition in the sector. 'Consumers want the government to take a harder line — not only in promoting competition, but also in actively regulating how prices are set and how promotions are run,' says Duffy. Shoppers adapt to high costs Consumers are increasingly turning to cost-saving strategies, such as shopping around and buying in bulk, to deal with rising food prices and growing pressure on household budgets. More than half of respondents said they compare prices across supermarkets – most commonly through supermarket websites or apps, rather than in-store checks. This behaviour signals the need for unit pricing and easy price comparison across retailers. Loyalty programme perceptions are mixed Perceptions of supermarket loyalty programmes are divided. Nearly two in five consumers feel loyalty schemes offer little or no benefit, while around one in three see them as worthwhile. 'Consumers are rightly questioning the real value of loyalty programmes,' says Duffy. 'Our research found 84% of New Zealanders use loyalty cards, but the so-called 'specials' don't always reflect the lowest prices available at the checkout.' While the Commerce Commission has not recommended a full review of loyalty programmes, it has called on supermarkets to ensure transparency in how data is collected and used, and to clearly disclose the terms of these schemes. Time for action 'We are hearing loud and clear that shoppers feel unsupported and are losing trust – not just in supermarkets, but in the laws and systems that are meant to protect them,' Duffy says. 'To restore confidence, we need tougher regulation and greater enforcement to tackle pricing practices and market power in New Zealand's grocery sector.' Consumer NZ continues to push for measures that ensure fairer pricing, improved transparency, and increased competition in the supermarket industry. Note Consumer NZ surveyed 1,005 New Zealanders aged 18 and over online, between 10 and 15 April 2025 for the NZ Grocery Survey. The sample was provided by Dynata and reflects national population profiles based on Stats NZ data. The Consumer NZ Sentiment Tracker is a quarterly survey that explores the interests and concerns of New Zealanders. The nationally representative survey of 1,000 respondents is conducted every three months.
Scoop
23-04-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Despite Low Confidence In Government Efforts, People Want Urgent Action To Lower Grocery Bills
Consumer NZ calls for stronger regulation of supermarket pricing and promotional practices following its new survey on supermarkets. Consumer's NZ Grocery Survey, carried out in mid-April, reveals a strong public appetite for government action to improve access to affordable food. Many respondents called for clear and effective intervention by the government, while also expressing low confidence in its ability to deliver. 'New Zealanders are struggling to access quality food at affordable prices, and they're not seeing meaningful change at the checkout,' says Consumer NZ chief executive Jon Duffy. 'We're pleased the government has kicked off a request for information process to explore how new entrants could help increase competition and deliver better grocery prices for New Zealanders. But the urgency is real.' The survey also revealed the growing impact of rising prices on households. Thirty percent of people have needed help over the past year to get food – for example, from foodbanks, friends, family or Work and Income – based on the survey results. The cost of living remains the highest concern for New Zealanders across all age groups and has for three years according to its Sentiment Tracker. Low confidence in government action The nationally representative survey shows most New Zealanders don't believe the government is doing enough to keep food affordable. Two-thirds of people (66%) said they have low confidence in current government policies, while just 9% expressed high confidence in government action. Distrust in supermarkets also rising These results provide valuable insights into more recent trends in public trust in supermarkets and the government, as shown in Consumer NZ's Sentiment Tracker. Source: Consumer Sentiment Tracker Shoppers also report limited or declining trust in supermarkets to price and promote products fairly — an issue that raises additional concerns about consumer protection. 'There's increasing discomfort with how data is being used in loyalty schemes, and whether the deals offered actually benefit the consumer,' Duffy says. Strong support for government regulation When asked in the Grocery Survey what could be done to keep food accessible, hundreds of respondents said food is simply too expensive and urgent action is needed. Many supported stronger regulation and clearer rules to stop misleading promotions, not just more competition in the sector. 'Consumers want the government to take a harder line — not only in promoting competition, but also in actively regulating how prices are set and how promotions are run,' says Duffy. Shoppers adapt to high costs Consumers are increasingly turning to cost-saving strategies, such as shopping around and buying in bulk, to deal with rising food prices and growing pressure on household budgets. More than half of respondents said they compare prices across supermarkets - most commonly through supermarket websites or apps, rather than in-store checks. This behaviour signals the need for unit pricing and easy price comparison across retailers. Loyalty programme perceptions are mixed Perceptions of supermarket loyalty programmes are divided. Nearly two in five consumers feel loyalty schemes offer little or no benefit, while around one in three see them as worthwhile. 'Consumers are rightly questioning the real value of loyalty programmes,' says Duffy. 'Our research found 84% of New Zealanders use loyalty cards, but the so-called 'specials' don't always reflect the lowest prices available at the checkout.' While the Commerce Commission has not recommended a full review of loyalty programmes, it has called on supermarkets to ensure transparency in how data is collected and used, and to clearly disclose the terms of these schemes. Time for action 'We are hearing loud and clear that shoppers feel unsupported and are losing trust - not just in supermarkets, but in the laws and systems that are meant to protect them,' Duffy says. 'To restore confidence, we need tougher regulation and greater enforcement to tackle pricing practices and market power in New Zealand's grocery sector.' Consumer NZ continues to push for measures that ensure fairer pricing, improved transparency, and increased competition in the supermarket industry. Note Consumer NZ surveyed 1,005 New Zealanders aged 18 and over online, between 10 and 15 April 2025 for the NZ Grocery Survey. The sample was provided by Dynata and reflects national population profiles based on Stats NZ data. The Consumer NZ Sentiment Tracker is a quarterly survey that explores the interests and concerns of New Zealanders. The nationally representative survey of 1,000 respondents is conducted every three months.
