The big Christmas supermarket shop: What you need to know

Less than a week out from the big day, 1News takes a look inside Foodstuffs' huge Christmas operation.

Foodstuffs, the owners of New World and Pak'nSave supermarkets, have a mammoth few days ahead, distributing millions of dollars worth of groceries in the lead up to December 25.

Speaking to 1News, Merchandise Manager of meat and produce for Foodstuffs North Island Brigit Corson said this year's Christmas build-up is busier than last year.

"We're busier in produce and that's because of supply, we're all about the weather in produce and making sure when the sun shines and the light levels are high, that those crops grow," she said.

Corson said the most popular Christmas meat remains ham, with 55% of Kiwis planning to serve it on December 25. Chicken comes in a close second at 44%, and lamb 27%. Those intending to have a vegetarian main meal is up 5% compared to 2022, now at 7%.

"We're seeing some great prices so I'm sure there'll be lots of lamb on plates this Christmas," Corson said.

She said 50% of Kiwis intended to have a Christmas lunch (between 12 and 2pm), followed by 18% who went for a late lunch (2pm-5pm). Around 13% of Kiwis are planning a brunch, with 8% having a Christmas dinner (5pm or later).

The majority of Kiwis will head to a store for Christmas shopping but Corson said 13% of shoppers would order online, using click and collect or delivery, which is up 4% on last year.

Corson said there's "no bad time to shop" but recommends hitting the aisles before this weekend.

She said the busiest day was Saturday December 16, although this weekend will also draw big numbers.

"We predict there will more than six million transactions across our 500 stores from December 16 until Christmas."

Asked if it's risky to leave your Christmas shop until the weekend, Corson said there's good supply of everything but warned "everyone will be competing on the 23rd and 24th".

Corson said cream and custard were two very popular staples and she recommended customers get in quick for those.

"Our stores are fully supplied with it, go in early and get all those supplies now and just pick up your last few fresh items before the big day."

Corson said 42% of customers were planning to spend less on their Christmas groceries this year.

"The key thing is though, produce is a lot cheaper this year than it was last year.

"We had a cold wet summer and not a very nice December but the sun has been shining and that has meant that we're seeing prices come down. A great example of that is tomatoes, which are cheaper this year."

Corson said there were plenty of options for those not wanting to spend a fortune on Christmas food this year.

Chicken and lamb were great options, with the price of both meats dropping. Corson said lamb legs were "flying out the door" due to "great pricing".

Pairing chicken with salad greens and potatoes was a meal that came cheaper than it did previously.

"You can have pavlova and, on top of them, you can have cherries which are in abundance this year. Berries are in reasonably tight supply but there are still some out there but there's nothing wrong with slicing up a banana, putting that on your pavlova with a bit of caramel sauce and calling it banoffee."

She said a cost-effective salad could be made with tomato, lettuce and cucumber, which were all reasonably priced at the moment.

"Produce is about supply and demand and because we've got better supply this year we are seeing some better prices on key lines such as potatoes, tomatoes salad greens in particular.

"Sunshine does make a difference and that's going to make a difference to customers around what's on their dinner table."

Christmas Eve tends to be the busiest day instore for Woolworths, a spokesperson told 1News.

"We start planning for Christmas months in advance and our teams across Aotearoa are well prepared to help everyone get what they need for their celebrations.

"Christmas Eve tends to be the busiest trading day of the year for us as Kiwis stock up on all the last minute essentials and treats ahead of the big day."

The supermarket said their own brand fruit mince pie range will use just under 40 tonnes of flour and a further 58 tonnes of fruit mince this year.

"We expect to sell over three million pies by the end of the season, so they’re still a very popular choice with New Zealanders."

"Other classics are custard - we sell eight times the amount of custard in Christmas week than any other week of the year.

"We also sell approximately 25% more eggs in Christmas week, and we haven’t had any supply issues this year which will be a relief for the pav fans. Candy canes and the like are also making their way into baskets - we sell almost 50% more confectionery in Christmas week than an average week."

Woolworths said lamb legs are a popular choice for the Kiwi BBQ, with stores normally sell around 200 tonnes of lamb legs over the holidays.

"This year we’ve seen demand skyrocket due to really strong pricing."

Christmas ham is the other classic Kiwi option with the average customer buying around 5kg over the Christmas period.

Demand for pet treats also increases around 20% in the led up to Christmas.