With inflation at its highest in 30 years, whānau are finding it difficult as they say even the basics are becoming unaffordable.
Shoppers outside a supermarket in Mangere who Te Ao Māori News has chosen not to name all shared a similar story.
“I'm hearing the struggles of my pēpī trying to feed their pēpī. We all go to the cheap part to get the cheap kai. We all keep trying to make our kids have a full belly. End of the day its the money,” one shopper said.
“Its ridiculous. We can barely survive to get a kai to feed big families, Twenty dollars doesnt last long anyway,” another shopper said
Another mother said she was having to weigh up which of the basics are more essential.
“Like meat and veges, that's not including things like cleaning products.”
'The struggle is real'
Just across town in Manurewa, 150 food parcels were delivered to whānau today. Manurewa Marae chief executive Takutaimoana Kemp says that even without the increase in inflation, food affordability is an issue.
“The struggle is real, it will continue to be a struggle for us, with the costs being higher,” she said.
During the pandemic, the marae has been a lifeline for many whānau who don't have enough money for food.
Inflation has risen by 5.9% and food prices by 4.5 percent. Kemp says the effects of these increases are felt far beyond the supermarket.
“They have to make a decision whether they put kai on their table, they pay their power, they pay their rent, put petrol in the car.”
Social Development Minster Carmel Sepuloni says that while these issues are a concern, there are increases on the horizon such as the increase to benefits, which will come in to action on April 1.
“Since we’ve been in government, we’ve seen a families package introduced, the minimum wage being lifted, benefits lifted and we’re constantly looking at ways to lift the incomes of the lowestearning New Zealanders,” she said.
