How the traditional Kiwi roast’s cost has jumped 20 per cent in three years

Putting on the traditional Sunday roast for the family costs 20 per cent more than it did three years ago. Photo / Babiche Martens

If you think you’re paying more at the checkout for the traditional Sunday roast, you are right.

The price of a roast meal with all of the trimmings for the extended family has jumped 20 per cent in the past three years going up $23.12 from $115.31 to $138.43.

The Herald on Sunday used data from Figure NZ to compare the price rise from 2019 to now.

Figure NZ draws data from Statistics NZ and other government agencies.

The meal for 5-6 people included a generous 2.2kg roast lamb dinner served with potatoes, kumara, onions, carrots, broccoli and beans with bread rolls on the side.

Dessert was apple pie and vanilla icecream with orange juice for the kids and a couple of bottles of Stoneleigh pinot noir for the adults.

Pantry staples of garlic, oil, butter, herbs and spices were not included.

Households are now paying around $23 more for the traditional Sunday roast than they would have in 2019. Photo / Herald Graphic

We also compared the current Figure NZ costs to an online shop at Countdown and came to a very similar price result.

Those wanting to add a vegetarian option such as lasagne would see the price bump up another $15 and a pre-mixed green salad adds $6.

Swap the roast lamb for more economical chicken and you can reduce the price from $45 to $16.50 for a 1.9kg fresh chicken – a saving at the till of $28.50.

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The price increase at the grocery store comes as New Zealand faces a cost-of-living crisis, with price rises across the board. Fuel costs, accommodation costs and interest rates are also spiking.

And the traditional Sunday roast isn’t the only casualty of recent price rises.

Annual food price inflation was 6.8 per cent higher in May 2022 compared with May 2021, according to Stats NZ.

Food prices increased across the board, led by fruit and vegetables, which increased 10 per cent annually.

“Average prices for grocery food items like yoghurt, milk, and cheese were all notably higher than they were in May 2021,” consumer prices manager Katrina Dewbery told the Herald last month.

For the 12-month period, grocery food prices increased 7.4 per cent, restaurant meals and ready-to-eat food prices increased 6 per cent, meat, poultry and fish prices increased 7 per cent and non-alcoholic beverage prices increased 2.7 per cent.

The annual rate of food price inflation was higher than the 6.4 per cent rise in April this year compared with April 2021.

The crisis prompted the Government to end the duopoly in the supermarket sector and make grocery prices more affordable.

Consumer Affairs Minister David Clark announced last month a new regulator would provide annual reviews on the industry and supermarkets will be obliged to follow a mandatory code of conduct.

Unit pricing for groceries will be made compulsory.

To combat the rising living costs Labour also introduced the Cost of Living Payment. The $350 payment is available to anyone earning less than $70,000 and not eligible for the winter energy payment.

Along with the ingredients for the traditional Sunday roast other staples had jumped in price – including milk, cheese and bread.

According to data from Figure NZ the cheapest bottle of homogenised milk had gone up from $3.50 for 2 litres in 2019 to $4.02 in 2022.

A loaf of the cheapest white bread had risen from $1.08 in 2019 to $1.51 and 1kg of mild cheese had gone up a staggering 42 per cent from $8.79 in 2019 to $12.55 in 2022.

Those looking to treat the family to the other Kiwi meal tradition of fish and chips should also expect to pay more.

A serving of fish and chips from the takeaway shop, according to Figure NZ, has jumped from $6.88 in 2019 to its current price of $8.53.

Canterbury woman Sarah Smith was not surprised at the price rises but said there were plenty of ways to reduce the string at the checkout.

Smith started the Facebook page Cheaper Ways NZ and has been helping thousands of New Zealanders save money.

“Planning ahead for a roast meal like that would be my biggest advice,” Smith said.

“I visit the farmers’ markets and get good prices on things rather than leaving it all to do at the supermarket.”

Sarah Smith with her children Olivia, 12 Samantha, 9, and Aston, 6, grow their own vegetables to save money. Photo / Supplied

Smith often traded items with neighbours and bought items to freeze when they were on special.

Avoiding packet gravies and sauces was also a big money-saver, Smith said.

“We always make gravy with the fat from the roast which is nicer and saves a lot of money.

“Of course buying in season and growing your own veges and herbs cuts down a lot of the cost but that takes a bit more preparation.” And the traditional Sunday roast isn’t the only casualty of recent price rises.

What the supermarkets are doing to reduce prices

Countdown

“As has been widely covered in the media over the last few months, New Zealand is experiencing 30-year high inflation,” a Countdown spokeswoman said.

“Countdown and our supply partners are trying to hold, mitigate and offset these cost increases wherever possible, but the reality is we can’t absorb all the inflation we’re seeing.

“Our Winter Freeze programme, which has seen us freeze the prices of a broad range of essentials for the whole of winter, has been developed to give our customers more price certainty – no matter what happens with cost increases and inflation.

“Products like pasta, flour, butter, mince, carrots, potatoes, pumpkin, frozen veges, bread, cheese, rice, hot drinks, and some medications are included and we’re continuing to add more when we can.”

Foodstuffs – Pak’nSave and New World

“There are lots of factors that contribute to the changing price of food with availability, seasonality, weather events, global supply chain issues and geopolitical events amongst them,” said head of public relations Emma Wooster.

“In mid-May we rolled back the prices of 110 of the most-shopped grocery items to what they averaged over 25 January to 25 April last year, our insights teams identified the everyday products that Foodstuffs customers buy most often, like bread, butter, cheese, meat, fruit and veges.

“The Price Rollback has, at last count, saved our customers $6.5 million in the first five weeks of the 13-week initiative.”