WELLINGTON, June 25 (Xinhua) -- The cost of sweetened foods has been decreasing in New Zealand, while the costs of fruit, vegetables, meat, and dairy increase, according to a study published on Tuesday.
Researchers at Lincoln University studied the changing prices of food over nine years, based on government statistics covering 560 retail outlets.
The study found that since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a particularly steep increase in the relative costs of fruit and vegetables, while both the real and relative prices of sweetened foods have dropped.
The research article, published in the Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand, highlighted the steep increase in food prices in New Zealand, brought about by a range of external and internal factors, including the COVID-19 disruptions, geopolitical events and climate shocks.
However, what has gone relatively unnoticed is the change in relative prices of specific types of food, such as the prices of fruits, vegetables, processed and unprocessed meats, and dairy relative to those of sweetened, processed, industrial foods, it said.
If prices of specific foods continue to remain high relative to those of others, households may become habituated to not consuming the expensive varieties and may adapt by switching to more affordable ones, the article said.
"Should these shifts engender a transition to unhealthy diets, over time, the consequences may be grave for consumers, healthcare systems, and the country's fiscal health," it warned. ■
