27 May 2024

PAK'nSAVE has been named the country's most trusted supermarket for the 13th year in a row, in the latest Reader's Digest New Zealand Trusted Brands survey.

The survey, which has been running for 25 years, asked almost 1,800 Kiwis to rate their favourite brands across 66 categories of products and services covering a broad range of industries, ranking values like trustworthiness, quality, reliability, and awareness.

PAK’nSAVE, which is part of the Foodstuffs 100% locally owned and operated supermarket co-operatives, scored top marks in its category, with customers commending the supermarket for its range of quality brands and commitment to affordable prices.

Foodstuffs New Zealand Managing Director Chris Quin says trust is so important when it comes to providing New Zealand families with access to affordable food, and it has been a privilege to serve New Zealanders over the 39 years since the first PAK’nSAVE opened in Kaitaia.

“Many New Zealanders are doing it tough at the moment and the affordability of groceries is their biggest concern."

“Everything we do at PAK’nSAVE we do to save customers money and it’s wonderful to be recognised for the trust New Zealanders have in us,” he says.

PAK’nSAVE store owner-operators and their teams across the country have continued to work hard to fight food inflation and keep prices low for customers, by doing things like buying well and running their stores as efficiently as possible.

“Our store owners have had an unwavering focus on fighting food inflation and I’m hugely proud of PAK’nSAVE and the wider Foodstuffs teams for making it happen,” says Quin.

“It has also been heart-warming to see the impact initiatives like ‘PAK Your Pantry’ has made in supporting local communities, which has donated more than $500,000 to flood affected families,” he says.

According to Statistics New Zealand’s Food Price Index (FPI) for April, which measures the changes in prices that households pay for food, prices rose 0.8% across the board, while our retail price rises were half that, coming in at 0.4%. 

“New Zealand’s rate of food price rises is now significantly lower than most other developed countries,” says Quin. “Australia and the UK are both still seeing food inflation of around 4% per annum, Europe 3%, and the US around 2%. So, the rate here is now a half to a quarter what’s still being seen overseas.”

“That’s a huge relief for our customers, for our economy, and for our local store owners who’ve been hugely focused on playing a part in helping to tame food inflation, consistently recording price rises that are under the official rate in 22 of the past 24 months, at a time of a lot of economic uncertainty too.”

From Kaitaia to Invercargill, PAK’nSAVE has 58 stores throughout New Zealand.

“On behalf of the whole PAK’nSAVE team, we thank New Zealanders for their continued trust and support for over almost four decades,” he says.