Articles

New Zealand households are spending more but getting less for it. The latest electronic card transactions data points to a growing disconnect between nominal spending and actual consumption, as sharp rises in fuel prices push up total outlays while underlying volumes continue to decline.

The Reserve Bank has a big job ahead of it bringing pricing behaviour and inflation pressures under control, according to Infometrics’ latest economic forecasts.

The pace of supplier cost increases to Foodstuffs supermarkets in March was slightly lower than last month, with the Infometrics-Foodstuffs New Zealand Grocery Supplier Cost Index (GSCI) showing an average 2.1% increase in what suppliers charged in March 2026, compared with a year earlier.

A sharp deterioration in confidence across both households and businesses signals that the economic impact of the recent global oil shock is already taking hold in New Zealand, even before any physical fuel shortages emerge.

The spike in fuel prices over the last month, since the Iran war started, has reignited significant inflationary concerns across the economy, not least across the construction industry.

Delivering water services in New Zealand is becoming materially more expensive, and the gap between water costs and general inflation continues to widen.

Diesel has emerged as the critical pressure point in New Zealand’s current fuel shock, posing a far greater risk to economic activity than other refined products due to its dominant role across transport, agriculture, and heavy industry.

Local government funding is under growing scrutiny, as rising costs, shifting revenue streams, and potential policy changes force councils to rethink how they pay for services.

New Zealand is facing a growing economic risk as tightening diesel supply intersects with sharply rising fuel prices, creating a dual shock that is beginning to ripple across industries.

Following Heinz Wattie's announcement to close its manufacturing facilities in Auckland, Christchurch, and Dunedin, we look at fruit and vegetable processing and the broader food and beverage processing industry in New Zealand.