Takeaways and eating out are on the rise in NZ, at the expense of traditional family dinners - report

September 2, 2018
A cheeseburger and french fries.

Kiwi families are ordering more takeaways and eating out more than ever before, at the expense of family meals at home, a new study suggests.

The findings, released today by the Restaurant Association of New Zealand in conjunction with Statistics New Zealand, found that nationwide sales in the hospitality industry over the past year increased by 3.6 per cent to exceed $11.2 billion. Takeaway food recorded the highest growth at 5.7 per cent, or an increase in annual sales of $148 million.

At the same time, grocery sales are slowing - a result, the report suggests, of the traditional family meal at home becoming less popular. Only 52 per cent of parents now eat at home every night, according to another recent survey. 

The latest report, which covered the year ending in March, indicated spending on restaurants has been highest in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. The three regions all have annual sales of more than $1 billion per year.

However, revenue growth was highest in the Bay of Plenty, which was recorded as the highest for the second year in a row at 6.8 per cent, followed by Auckland at 5.1 per cent.

The only region to see a small decline in sales was the Manawatu/Whanganui region, which was down -1.7 per cent.

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