Giving up on cheese and butter, switching to frozen vegetables and making luxuries a distant memory – those are among the measures Blenheim people are taking to fight a rising food bill.
The Marlborough Express spoke to shoppers yesterday outside at a Blenheim supermarket to see how they were coping with food prices that have increased 7.4 per cent in the year to June. Fruit and vegetables had the largest impact on food prices, rising 12.2 per cent, according to Statistics New Zealand.
While some of the increase is down to seasonal factors, many shoppers reported prices were up across the board.
Leah Morgan, of Blenheim, said that with a household of five people they used to get their weekly shop done for about $160 but in the last two months it's closer to $200.
"We never get fresh vegetables, we buy frozen because it's cheaper. Most of the things we buy are on special – if you're not doing that it would be crippling." She said it was difficult to eat healthily with high food prices.
"To go in and buy a pack of pies instead of salad is cheaper; it's way too dear to be healthy."
One grocer the Express spoke to said the situation has been exacerbated by natural disasters and bad weather hampering the growth of some vegetables, including tomatoes, in the past several months causing food prices in supermarkets and grocery stores to increase. Tomatoes, for instance, are up 56.9 per cent, capsicums up 43.7 per cent and cucumbers up 35.6 per cent on the same time last year.
Benge & Co Green Grocers owner Colin Benge said the January floods in Queensland and poor weather in New Zealand last month have seriously affected the supply of tomatoes in particular.
June had very low sunshine hours meaning tomatoes did not ripen, he said.
"These guys [growers] can't produce enough and their costs are rocketing. They're still putting in what they normally would, but not getting the required volume."
Blenheim chef and Marlborough Farmers' Market chairman Chris Fortune said families were better off buying produce which was seasonal such as pumpkin, cabbage and potatoes because it
- The Marlborough Express
SIMON WONG
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