While winter usually drives up the sales of warmer foods such as canned soups and pasta, recent years have seen Kiwis turn towards healthier choices. In the past consumers turned to warm fatty food to keep them going throughout the winter months. However, a shift in consumers health consciousness has resulted in New Zealanders purchasing healthier products this winter. According to a report released by Countdown, last winter saw an increase in the sales of healthier alternative such as kale and LSA, as well as a higher number of fruits and vegetables being purchased.
Key insights from Countdown show that last winter saw a decrease in the sales of cough and cold remedies by 14.6 percent, while the sales of tissues also saw a decline at 8.3 percent. The sales of blankets also saw a decrease with 8.7 percent less blankets being sold. Roasted vegetables such as kumara, parsnip, potato, pumpkin and onions continue to remain popular through winter.
Health products grew in popularity experiencing a 30 percent increase on last year with LSA up by 10 percent and the sale of kale up significantly. Smoothies also remained a favourite of kiwis with an increase in the sale of Superfood powders.
“We know products such as LSA, superfood powders, kombucha, kimchi and sauerkraut as well as more plant-based proteins are becoming a regular feature of Kiwis shopping trolleys. We’ve created a dedicated health food aisle so that being healthy can be easier than ever before. We’ve got everything you need all under one roof at affordable prices. This includes more traditional health remedies such as vitamins, protein shakes and probiotics,” said Scott Davidson, Countdown’s General Manager Merchandise.
“We are seeing more and more Kiwis are starting to incorporate vegetarian meals into their weekly meal plans. We’ve also seen chicken become Kiwis favourite protein and sales on such as tofu, halloumi and vegetarian meats increase as more Kiwis reap the benefits of a diet focused on more fruit and vegetables.”
