Cows down
OPINION: It's not happening as fast as the greenies would like - they actually want all livestock other than Muscovy ducks and Tibetan Llamas to disappear entirely - but it is happening.
New research from meal kit company, Hello Fresh has revealed the over 45% of New Zealanders have changed their diet due to factors like increased cost of living, sustainability and health.
The research, conducted by survey company Pure Profile, also revealed that 35% of respondents’ weekly supermarket shop has increased by $50 - $100.
The results come as Stats NZ announced a 7.5% annual rise in grocery food prices.
Stats NZ Consumer prices manager Fiona Smillie says dairy products seem to be the major contributor to the rise.
“Increasing prices for cheddar cheese, standard two-litre milk, and yoghurt were the largest contributors within grocery food,” says Smillie.
Hello Fresh director culinary innovations & operations Hannah Gilbert says meal planning is one way to stick to a food budget, “allowing you to enjoy quality ingredients without breaking the bank”.
“One of the biggest ways households spend more than they need to is through food waste, with leftover ingredients ending up in the bin,” says Gilbert.
Also impacting monthly food prices, according to Stats NZ, is the rising costs of fruit and vegetables.
A 10% increase in fruit and vegetable prices was recorded for July 2022.
After adjusting for seasonal effects, fruit and vegetables were up 3.1%, indicating that while seasonal impacts drove most of the movement, after removing these impacts fruit and vegetables still increased by 3.1%.
“Vegetables had the largest impact on this increase, influenced by higher prices for tomatoes, lettuce, and broccoli,” says Smillie.
Six industry organisations, including DairyNZ and the Dairy Companies Association (DCANZ) have signed an agreement with the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) to prepare the country for a potential foot and mouth outbreak.
The 2026 Red Dairy Cow conference will be hosted by New Zealand in March.
While global dairy commodity prices continue to climb in most key exporting countries, the second half of the year is expected to bring increased downside risks.
In a surprise move, Federated Farmers meat and wool group has dumped its chair Toby Williams.
Former MP and Southland farmer Eric Roy has received the Outstanding Contribution to New Zealand’s Primary Industries Award.
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