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Full-time workers requiring food bank services

1 June, 2023 

Interview by Spike Keith, adapted by Mahdhi Osman-Penrice

The Auckland City Mission has reported seeing a shift in people visiting the food banks, from “struggling single parents” to people “working full time that can’t meet their living costs”. Photo: Auckland City Mission.

Listen to the full interview 

Demand for the services of food banks has been growing in Aotearoa due to the effects of the cost of living crisis and rising inflation.

Food prices are currently at their highest levels since 1947. The Stats NZ food price index reported a 12.5% rise in food costs in the year ending April 2023, with fruits and vegetables costing on average 22% more than in April 2022. 

Auckland City Mission strategic advisor for food security and distribution Micaela van der Schaaf told 95bFM's The Wire that they experienced their busiest period on record in February 2023, distributing over 5000 food parcels.

She said that since 2019, the number of people they have seen experiencing food insecurity has doubled, with some food banks in Northland even being forced to turn people away after running out of stock. 

She noted they had seen a shift in people visiting the food banks, from “struggling single parents” to people “working full time that can’t meet their living costs”. 

Schaaf argued that food insecurity in Aotearoa is ultimately a “symptom of inequity". 

“Expecting people to live on less than what meets their basic necessities is bad for society at large."