As the cost of living continues to rise, many local families are feeling the pinch at the checkout. In response, SociaLink through its Community Insights division has taken matters into its own hands—keeping a close watch on grocery prices through a Local Grocery Shop project. The project was initially funded thanks to BayTrust Toolbox funding.
Each month, a Community Insights mystery shopper "virtually buys" the same set of essential grocery items from seven supermarkets across Tauranga and WBOP. These include:
Pak’nSave Cameron Road
Woolworths Cameron Road
New World Gate Pa
Woolworths Te Puke
Pak’nSave Pāpāmoa
New World Te Puke
Woolworths Katikati
Using online pricing, the team records the lowest available prices for a standard group of items, helping to paint a clear picture of how food costs are changing locally. The virtual trolley is based on a basic diet designed for two adults and two children, originally developed by the Department of Human Nutrition at the University of Otago. The supermarkets chosen are those that are closest to local communities (across Tauranga and the Western BOP District) which had higher levels of deprivation according to national measures.
“We virtually ‘buy’ the cheapest of the brands on offer and add some everyday essentials like potatoes, frozen vegetables, canned foods and items for school lunches,” explains Community Insights Manager Liz Flaherty. “Once a month we also include pantry staples like flour and spreads, along with cleaning products and toilet paper. Input on the final selection of grocery items was sought from Tauranga Community Foodbank and Bay Financial Mentors.”
The goal? To provide a localised, reliable snapshot of how food costs are shifting for families across different parts of our community. The data is compiled and published quarterly on a publicly available data dashboard, offering transparency and insight for anyone interested—from households to policymakers.
By tracking these changes over time, SociaLink hopes to raise awareness, inform community planning, and ultimately advocate for solutions.
The Dashboard is supported by an infographic which summarises the key insights from the latest updates to the dashboard.
If you have any feedback on the dashboard please contact SociaLink's Community Insights team.
