Jacinda Ardern avoids 'heated cauliflower debate' after Labour promises to review supermarket prices

October 1, 2020

The Labour leader recalled kumara is another hot topic for Kiwi consumers.

The Labour party has pledged to review supermarket prices to ensure Kiwis are getting a fair deal but don't ask their leader what a reasonable price for items like cauliflower is.

Labour promised this afternoon to review supermarket and building supply prices if re-elected, with the launch of market studies which could allow the government to bring costs down.

Leader Jacinda Ardern said during the announcement they wanted to make sure "pricing is fair" but when she was asked what a fair price for cauliflower is, she steered well clear.

The party announced the policy today as the leaders of both major parties reflected on a sometimes heated tv debate.

"I'm not sure I want to get in to the heated cauliflower debate that Kiwis have been subjected to," a laughing Ardern said.

Earlier this year when New Zealand entered a nationwide lockdown, a monitoring group was set up to allow Kiwis to send in complaints about potential price-gouging by supermarkets.

On the first day alone  almost 1000 complaints were issued with high prices for cauliflower the most common problem, some claiming the vegetable was being sold for $13 each.

This afternoon, Ardern said she also remembered kumara being another vegetable reported a number of times.

"But this is a chance to get beyond just products and actually say, 'lets look at the whole market, lets answer those questions for Kiwis'."

Labour said they would launch the study into supermarkets this year and into building supplies next year. 

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