The cost of eating healthy: NZ fruit and veg prices are going up way faster than processed food

On The Conversation, Lincoln University Senior Lecturer Dr Puneet Vatsa and Professor Alan Renwick discuss the price of food in New Zealand.

Rising food costs have been making headlines for the past decade, but prices have not been rising consistently across all food groups – and this has major health implications for New Zealanders.

Last week Stats NZ released food price data showing the biggest drop in prices in six years. The second quarter consumer price index, due out on 17 July, will give a broader overview of the inflationary pressures facing New Zealanders, including the cost of eating.

Despite the recent price drops, concerns over food security, food affordability and the nutritional quality of local diets have remained.

Although food price increases have been noticeable over the long term, the change in relative prices — the cost of one food category compared to another — often goes unnoticed. Nevertheless, these relative price changes are crucial as they influence consumer choices, often subconsciously.

The Lincoln University pair's research examines Stats NZ data between 2014 and 2023 on the price of 85 food items collected from 560 retail outlets – supermarkets, greengrocers, fish shops, butchers, convenience stores, restaurants, and outlets selling breakfast, lunch, and takeaway foods – in 12 urban areas.

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