New Zealanders are spending relatively more on takeaways and restaurant meals, and less on fruit and vegetables than
three years ago, Stats NZ said today.
Every three years, Stats NZ calculates how much the average New Zealander spends on various foods, and those shifts in
food preferences and prices are reflected in the monthly food inflation measure.
Over a quarter (27 percent) of the food budget is spent on restaurants and ready-to-eat meals, including things like
burgers and takeaway coffee. This share is up slightly from 26 percent in 2017.
In contrast, the share of spending on fruit and vegetables has fallen slightly to 13 percent of the food basket compared
with 15 percent in 2017.
“In the past three years, changes in prices and consumer spending patterns have led to less spending on fruit and
vegetables. This is mainly driven by a fall in spending on vegetables,” prices senior manager Aaron Beck said.
Those living in the Auckland region spend the highest proportion of their food budget on restaurants meals and takeaways
(32 percent), compared with the New Zealand average of 27 percent. Outside the main centres, households spend less than
the national average on restaurant meals and takeaways, at 22 percent of their food budget.
“In 2000, the average Kiwi household spent about a fifth (22 percent) of its food budget on restaurant meals and
takeaways, but that has risen steadily to more than a quarter (27 percent) in 2020,” Mr Beck said.
Conversely, average spending on grocery food and non-alcoholic beverages has fallen from 50 percent in 2000 to 44
percent in 2020. While expenditure on fresh fruit and vegetables decreased since the last review of FPI weights in 2017,
it is about the same as it was in 2000.