Putting It Back On The Consumer
It felt like a cruel joke, when the brown paper bag from the supermarket arrived in my mailbox last week. I stared at it in disbelief as I read the instructions to fill the bag with groceries to help a family in need.
"I cant believe they did that" I muttered and threw the bag in the recycle bin.
The supermarkets have made millions in profits over the past two years while the rest of us mere mortals struggled to make ends meet. The first thing they did when the pandemic began was to remove all specials from the shelves. My shop went up by around $50 per week and its kept going from there. Some people report that their former $150 shop now costs $300 or more. Food costs only make up approx 18% of the CPI, so the real cost of food increases is somewhat hidden.
Demand for food parcels has risen exponentially and many working families are now queuing at the food banks as people struggle with these rising costs. So now that the supermarkets are raking it in, they have decided to put it back on the consumer and ask them to foot the bill. Not only are we paying round 50% more for our food, but we are supposed to dig deep and support the people the supermarkets have priced out of the market. All the while making the supermarket look like the good guys. The arrogance is gob smacking.
If I was a food bank manager right now I'd probably feel I had to bite my tongue and accept the goods, but it would feel like the Tobacco Industry funding cancer research. I refuse to support this disingenuous piece of marketing. What do others think?
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Once again, Resene and NZ Gardener are on the hunt for New Zealand’s best shed! Send in the photos and the stories behind your man caves, she sheds, clever upcycled spaces, potty potting sheds and colourful chicken coops. The Resene Shed of the Year 2026 winner receives $1000 Resene ColorShop voucher, a $908 large Vegepod Starter Pack and a one-year subscription to NZ Gardener. To enter, tell us in writing (no more than 500 words) why your garden shed is New Zealand’s best, and send up to five high-quality photos by email to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz. Entries close February 23, 2026.
Poll: 🤖 What skills do you think give a CV the ultimate edge in a robot-filled workplace?
The Reserve Bank has shared some pretty blunt advice: there’s no such thing as a “safe” job anymore 🛟😑
Robots are stepping into repetitive roles in factories, plants and warehouses. AI is taking care of the admin tasks that once filled many mid-level office jobs.
We want to know: As the world evolves, what skills do you think give a CV the ultimate edge in a robot-filled workplace?
Want to read more? The Press has you covered!
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51.9% Human-centred experience and communication
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15% Critical thinking
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30.1% Resilience and adaptability
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3% Other - I will share below!
Quote for the Day
"Economic forecasters fall into two groups: those who don't know - and those who don't know they don't know."
Kenneth Galbraith - eminent Canadian economist and diplomat
Cheers Mike
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