Kiwis cutting back on essentials as cost-of-living crisis lingers

Research New Zealand surveyed 1004 New Zealanders aged 18 and over from February 20-24. People were asked if they struggled to pay for the cost of essentials such as transport, food and clothing, or if they found it hard to cover ongoings bills such as rent, power, water or internet during the last three months.

Just over half the respondents (55 per cent) reported that they had struggled to pay for or went without everyday items because of the cost-of-living crisis.

“If we translate that, it’s one in every two said they’d either gone without or struggled to pay for any one of those,” said Research New Zealand managing partner Emanuel Kalafetalis on Radio New Zealand’s Sunday Morning show.

Those most likely to have struggled and gone without essential items and services are young adults (71 per cent of those aged 18 to 34 years), those living in households with children (62 per cent) and female respondents (60 per cent), the survey stated.

One-third of survey respondents went without medical care when unwell in the last three months.

The same proportion struggled with essential bills for things such as water or power, while 31 per cent found it difficult to purchase basic goods like clothing or school supplies. Transport was a financial challenge for 29 per cent, Mr Kalafetalis said.

Overall, the poll showed that there has been no significant improvement in these levels of hardship compared to two years ago.

“These results confirm that we are in the depths of a cost-of-living crisis and that little is changing on the upside yet,” Mr Kalafetalis said.

“It also shows that some groups of the population are suffering more than others, including those in households with children.

“Therefore, it is perhaps not surprising that some of these households are existing below what we might expect in a modern democratic society like Aotearoa New Zealand.”

Unemployment has risen to levels not seen since 2020, and the cost-of-living crisis has forced families onto benefits in record numbers.

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Sunday Morning/Radio New Zealand

Research New Zealand report findings