This BBQ season has been the hardest in decades for Kiwis, with new data showing the highest annual increase in food prices in more than 30 years, National’s Finance spokesperson Nicola Willis says.

The Food Price Index released by Statistics New Zealand today shows that food prices have increased by a staggering 11.3 per cent in the past 12 months, with grocery prices contributing the most to this increase. This is the highest annual increase since 1990.

“Kiwis can’t escape this cost of living crisis. Everywhere they turn they are facing mounting costs putting pressure on their household budgets, making it tough for them to get ahead,” Ms Willis says.

“Many New Zealanders will be having to think twice before hosting their friends and family for a BBQ this summer, with the cost of meat increasing by 11 per cent in the past 12 months, and fruit and vegetable prices increasing 23 per cent.

“Over the last year, food prices climbed higher and higher and the cost of living crisis only deepened. The Government has failed to offer New Zealanders a plan to address this crisis, instead it has made it worse.

“Rather than focusing on the cost of living, Labour have been focused on wasteful political pet projects like the TVNZ-RNZ merger and Three Waters. It is long past time for them to scrap these distractions, and adopt National’s plan to fight inflation.

“National would rein in wasteful spending that's adding fuel to the inflation fire, stop adding new costs and taxes, refocus the Reserve Bank on price stability, address worker shortages and let Kiwis keep more of what they earn.”

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