Household food bill $231

The cost of a basic weekly shopping trip for a household of a couple and two teenagers will set them back an average of $231 a week, an annual food costs survey has found.

The Estimated Family Food Costs Survey has been prepared every year since 1972 by Otago University student dietitians.

Surveys were carried out at four supermarkets each in Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin.

The cost of food for a man was on average about $50 a week, while women ate an average of $48 worth. Adolescent boys were the most expensive to feed, costing $64 a week, and girls cost $53.

A 10-year-old child ate $43 worth of food a week, a 5-year-old cost $29 to feed and children aged between 1 and 4 cost between $24 and $27 each.

However, non-food items could expect to add about $16 each week on a basic budget, $30 a week on a moderate budget and $48 on a high-end budget, for a family of four.

The food costs were based on a basic shopping list that assumed food would be eaten at home using few pre-prepared items and certain items would be chosen only when in season.

Households that upgraded their shopping list to include more expensive cuts of meat and a greater variety of fruits and vegetables could expect to pay a further $15 a person - raising the average cost of food to the family with two teenagers to $275 a week, and $291 if basic non-food items are included.

A further $10 a person a week could be added if a greater range of pre-prepared items were included in the food shopping - costing the family with teenagers $315 each week in food, or $331 with basic non-food items.

Those shopping on a generous budget could pay up to $363 a week for a family with teenagers.

The survey found the price did not vary significantly between regions, as supermarket chains kept their prices similar in each centre.

"Consumers can shop more economically at supermarkets, but the extra costs - ranging from $1 to $6 a person, depending on region - of shopping at local specialty shops may be worthwhile if the cost of travel to a supermarket is weighed against walking to a smaller local outlet," the survey said.

It also noted that many families and individuals spent less weekly than the estimated costs in the survey, but not including some of the basic items could restrict a balanced diet.

"The risk of consuming a diet which does not meet New Zealand recommendations for good health increases as expenditure falls below this."

- NZPA

Food costs

Weekly cost for a man: $50.

Woman: $48.

Adolescent boy: $64.

Adolescent girl: $53.