Food tops the spending pattern list – up 28.1%
New Zealanders have changed their household spending patterns as the cost of living has increased, according to data released by Stats NZ.
Household expenditure data collected by the Household Economic Survey is made up of 13 different groups, 12 main expenditure groups (including food, recreation and culture, and health), and one ‘sales, trade-ins, and refunds’ group. The 12 main expenditure groups can be expressed as proportions of the total net expenditure (which is expenditure after deductions from sales, trade-ins, and refunds). Half of the 12 main expenditure groups have increased between the years ended June 2019 and 2023:
Food – up 28.1% (to $300 per week)
Housing and household utilities – up 15.5% (to $398 per week)
Health – up 18.5% (to $50 per week)
Transport – up 16.5% (to $252 per week)
Miscellaneous goods and services (which includes expenditure on insurance, personal care, and credit services) – up 21.6% (to $139 per week)
