Is Justin Marshall right about the high costs now?

[Paolo32]

I think he is definitely on to something but it always sounds funny coming from someone who was earning huge money playing rugby in UK, at least he can afford it.

But it does seem like lots of things have gone up price wise really quickly, especially strong grocery items. Lets make a list of things so that we can make a noise about it (site admin will you do that on behalf of forum members?)

[Dan6970]

What shocks me the most is the massive increase in costs for buying food items/groceries grown and manufactured in New Zealand! Why must we have to pay export parity rates when the producers are utilizing NZ land, govt. subsidies and tax payer funds to sustain them? Items like Milk, Honey, Cheese, Bread, Butter, Fruits, Veggies, etc should be regulated by the govt. to see that people can buy these as healthy options at affordable prices. Milk has just gone up by 50cents for a 3 litre bottle of Basic. Amazing how greedy the producers/farmers/retailers are in this respect. More so the retailers.

[Administrator]

Hi Guys,

Nzmoneytalk is all for giving the consumer a voice. The team here actually feel that the consumers in New Zealand are getting a bum deal and not really able to voice their concerns due to the limited media outlets, and most of them being controlled by one company!

So if there is enough interest, we will happily compile a list of peoples concerns, and possible send our results to a member of parliament. Obviously though we would need significantly more interest in the subject and many more comments.

Regards

Admin

[misty]

I personally am stunned by the price of common consumable goods in New Zealand, particularly as Dan says even items that are grown here. How the hell can they get away with charging these prices?

How the hell can Kiwis afford to pay these prices? Just look at the shitty cars being driven on New Zealand roads, its not like we have a suplus of cash, maybe we are spending all our cash on cabbage!

[Frank]

We have started growing a small veg garden in the summertime and my wife has been preserving things for us. I hate to go to the grocery now. It seems that you cannot buy anything healthy that isn't priced through the roof! I think it stinks!

[IvannaW]

I remain staggered at the prices I see and think Justin Marshall is right on (his rugby commentaries are similarly well informed and forthright too). Virtually every person I talk to seems to say much the same thing, even those who come from cities / countries that are typically known as expensive. Maybe its not so much the prices that are high it is low they are priced relative to the income levels when compared with overseas

[Paolo32]

Yep, some countries and I am think of some of the Asian ones have such low food costs and things like taxis are so cheap but the locals earn peanuts so maybe it is relative and a little bit too much is made of the prices here. But like a few others on here I hope some pressure can be put on some of the company's such as Progressive, Foodstuff and Fonterra to bow to consumer pressure to give us all a break