Should fruit and vegetables be GST exempt? New study shows it costs $27 a week more to eat 'healthily' than average Kiwi diet

A new study from Auckland University shows it costs $27 a week more on average to eat "healthily" than it does a regular diet.

The study's author's are calling for GST to be reviewed on fresh fruit and vegetables.

To discuss such proposed changes, ex-National leader Don Brash and ex-Alliance party leader Laila Harre offered their thoughts on the merits and possible complications of such a move, on TVNZ's Breakfast today.

"You give away a huge amount of revenue for the sake of benefiting the small group of people," Mr Brash said, citing low-income sections of the community who rarely buy fruit and vegetables.

However, Ms Harre suggested a GST exemption would have an impact on unhealthy eating habits across the board.

"It is a way of encouraging better decision making when it comes to food," Ms Harre said.

"There is good evidence to suggest that the price of fruit and vegetables is one of the reasons why we eat too few of them."