Student Katherine Blow dreads going to the supermarket.
Living on just $300 a week, Blow says in a cost of living crisis being a student is "the worst and hardest it's ever been".
According to a new 1News Kantar Public poll, Blow is among a majority of voters who are now buying less fresh fruit and vegetables than a year ago, in an effort to cope with the rising cost of living.
Just 9% said they were buying more, while 51% of respondents said they were buying less. A further 40% said it was about the same and the remainder didn't know or refused to answer the question.
As the cost of food continues to bite, women, Pasifika and those on a low income are among those feeling it most. (Source: 1News)
Those more likely to say they were buying less were Pasifika, women between the ages of 18 to 54 and those with an annual household income between about $30,000 and $70,000.
Those more likely to say they were buying about the same amount were men aged 55 and over, New Zealand Europeans and those with an annual household income of more than $150,000.
Blow said she was also trying to reduce meat consumption, and only shopping for bare essentials, with no "wiggle room" for the odd treat.
"Mince used to be a really cheap kind of dinner but... in the last three years, mince in particular has just got more and more expensive, and obviously other meats as well.
"I am not as healthy as I could be and that's probably because I am relying more on filling kind of food, like carbs.
"I definitely dread going to the supermarket.
"Three years ago it would have been $40, $50 and now it's $70, $80, so it's really just exponentially grown and it doesn't really show any signs of stopping growing if I want to... fuel my body to do my studies."
Most don't believe Budget will help cost of living - poll
The majority of voters also do not believe the Government's 2023 Budget will help ease the cost of living, the latest 1News Kantar Public Poll shows.
The poll, which ran after the Budget from May 20 to 24, asked respondents if they thought the 2023 Budget would be effective in addressing recent increases in the cost of living.
Of the 1002 respondents - all of them eligible voters - 60% said no, while 26% said yes and 14% didn't know or refused to answer.
The cost of living was identified in the last poll as the issue most likely to influence voters' decisions at the 2023 election.
Those more likely than average to say the Budget would help quell the cost of living were Labour party supporters, men aged 18 to 34, Asian New Zealanders, Aucklanders and those with an annual household income between about $30,000 and $70,000.
Those more likely than average to say the Budget would not help with the cost of living were ACT Party supporters , National Party supporters, New Zealand Europeans and those with an annual household income of more than $150,000.
Between May 20 and May 24, 2023, 1002 eligible voters were polled by mobile phone (502) and online, using online panels (500). The maximum sampling error is approximately ±3.1%-points at the 95% confidence level. Party support percentages have been rounded up or down to whole numbers, except those less than 4.5%, which are reported to one decimal place. The data has been weighted to align with Stats NZ population counts for age, gender, region, ethnic identification and education level. The sample for mobile phones is selected by random dialling using probability sampling, and the online sample is collected using an online panel. Undecided voters, non-voters and those who refused to answer are excluded from the data on party support. The results are a snapshot in time of party support, and not a prediction.
SHARE ME