Consumer NZ’s Grocery Survey highlights widespread public demand for decisive government measures to make food more affordable.
In the survey which was conducted in mid-April, many participants urged the government to take clear and effective action. However, they also voiced scepticism about its capacity to achieve meaningful change.
“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.
“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 found that 30% of people have needed assistance to obtain food over the past year, whether from food banks, friends, family, or work and income.
66% of respondents said they have little confidence that current government policies are sufficient to keep food affordable, while only 9% expressed strong confidence in the government’s efforts.
When asked about ways to improve food accessibility, hundreds of respondents emphasised that food is simply too expensive and called for urgent action. Many advocated for stronger regulations and clearer rules to prevent misleading promotions, rather than relying solely on increased competition within 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,” Duffy said.
Meanwhile, 2 in 5 consumers believe loyalty schemes provide little to no benefit, whereas about 1 in 3 consider them valuable.
“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,” Duffy explained.
“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.”