Consumer NZ disapproves of supermarket ad

Consumer NZ disapproves of supermarket advertisement

A full page advertisement appeared in today’s edition of the NZ Herald which quoted the findings of a recent Consumer NZ supermarket survey. Consumer NZ neither approved the advertisement, nor approved its findings being used in that way.

It has taken up the matter with Progressive Enterprises, which has agreed not to run the advertisement again, or to use the findings from Consumer NZ research and articles for advertising purposes.

Consumer does not allow its findings to be used for advertising or promotional purposes without its permission.

Consumer NZ traditionally does an annual supermarket survey. CEO Sue Chetwin said that this year, because of the concern over rising food prices and the increasing popularity of house brands, it was decided to do a second national survey of supermarket prices buying house brands where ever possible. Where a house brand wasn’t available, Consumer bought the cheapest brand. “And instead of its usual 40 items in the shopping basket Consumer bought 15 staples including milk, butter, cheese, sugar, bread, toilet paper and tinned cat food.”

For the first time in many years Pak'n Save was beaten out of first place in Auckland by Woolworths, Countdown and Foodtown. In Wellington and Christchurch it remained the cheapest but by less than $1, Chetwin said.

The Warehouse Extra, which had moved into second place in Consumer’s March survey of Auckland supermarkets dropped to the bottom at number six. Chetwin said the surveyors found that without a house brand, The Warehouse Extra could not compete.

For more information on the survey go to www.consumer.org.nz .

ENDS

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