New Zealand

Until mid-2021, New Zealand had been relatively unaffected by the COVID-19 pandemic by international standards, in terms of domestic movement and restrictions on gatherings. However, the Delta outbreak in August 2021 led to a prolonged lockdown in…

Until mid-2021, New Zealand had been relatively unaffected by the COVID-19 pandemic by international standards – for instance, in terms of domestic movement or gathering restrictions. However, the Delta outbreak in late August 2021 saw a prolonged…

2022 saw a steep increase in grocery prices across major supermarkets. This led to cautious consumer spending, with more people turning to price comparison websites to find the cheapest groceries at supermarkets near them. Online price comparison…

According to Statistics New Zealand, the 8% increase in grocery prices observed in 2022 was the biggest annual increase since 2011 – and that was affected by a GST rise. The increasing costs of international shipping and logistics, combined with…

Similar to other retail channels, hypermarkets has been experiencing rising costs associated with inflation and high shipping costs. However, retailers have been strategic in passing costs on to consumers, and have continued to offer low prices for…

While wipes offer a convenient and hygienic cleaning solution, nearly all are plastics-based and there is a big push in New Zealand to reduce plastic waste. While this is most prominently seen in the removal of single-use plastic bags, this has also…

Value sales through vending remained low in 2022, with growth limited by the decline in impulse purchases. With local consumers spending greater time at home, vending machines which primarily target impulse purchases in shopping centres, attraction…

The operating environment was extremely challenging for retailers in 2022. In addition to declining footfall in city centres, consumers burdened by inflationary pressures became more price-conscious. Consumers spending more cautiously were less…

During the COVID-19 pandemic, local supply chains struggled to maintain supply due to consumers engaging in panic buying, and while the panic buying by customers has subsided, manufactures in the product area continue to face significant challenges…

Until mid-2021, New Zealand had been relatively unaffected by the COVID-19 pandemic by international standards, in terms of restrictions on movement and gatherings. However, the Delta outbreak in late August 2021 saw a prolonged lockdown in the…

A mild winter and an early start to the warmer summer months brought on by a La Niña weather system created ideal conditions for insect populations to grow in 2022. During La Niña events, north-easterly winds are characteristic, which tend to bring…

The major trend impacting consumers and the home care industry in 2022 was high levels of inflation. This created cost of living pressures for consumers, while also driving strong current value growth within the industry – far higher than retail…

Inflationary pressures and the rising cost of living led to local consumers spending more cautiously in 2022. Rising costs of housing, petrol, utilities and groceries were felt acutely by consumers, with many looking for ways to stretch their budgets…

Independent convenience stores are benefiting from the launch of Costco in New Zealand. These retailers, which traditionally had to purchase wholesale supplies from large supermarkets at retail prices, now have the option to stock up at Costco.…

2022 has largely been a year of recovery, after two years of the COVID-19 pandemic and various levels of lockdown. The consumer foodservice industry as a whole took a massive hit during the pandemic years of 2020 and 2021, but the situation started…

Environmental and sustainability concerns are high amongst New Zealand consumers. Local consumers are acutely aware of the impact that their consumption behaviour has on the environment. While the consumer move away from the consumption of dairy…

The increase in grocery prices observed in 2022 was the biggest annual increase since 2011 – and that was affected by a goods and services tax rise – with the increasing costs of international shipping and logistics, combined with local supply chain…

In the early stages of the pandemic, New Zealand was relatively unaffected by the COVID-19 pandemic by international standards, with few limitations on movement or gatherings. However, the Delta outbreak in late August 2021 saw a prolonged lockdown…

According to Statistics New Zealand, the 8% increase in grocery prices observed in 2022 was the biggest annual increase since 2011 – and that was affected by a GST rise. The increasing costs of international shipping and logistics, combined with…

Despite restrictions being lifted and the country reopening, outlet numbers for limited-service restaurants have yet to fully recover to pre-pandemic levels. Certain types of limited-service restaurants, such as burger chains and bakery chains saw a…