20 Nov 2017

Luncheon gets the heave-ho

3:03 pm on 20 November 2017

New Zealanders' tastes appear to be changing with olives and fresh herbs overtaking luncheon sausage in popularity.

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Photo: 123RF

The decline of luncheon has seen it replaced in the basket of goods typically bought by households, and used to measure food price rises.

Statistics New Zealand spokesman Jason Attewell said luncheon would no longer be included in the Food Price Index calculations.

Nor will milkshakes, cottage cheese, spring onions, alfalfa sprouts or canned corn.

Instead, olives, fresh herbs and herbal tea will be added.

Mr Attewell said the index was reviewed every three years following a survey to see what people were buying.

The food price index measures how overall prices change each month.

The calculations include 162 different foods.

"Shoppers will still be able to buy luncheon sausage in supermarkets, of course," Mr Attewell said.

"We remove items from the basket when their expenditure gets low, or because they are well represented by other items - which is why we've removed spring onions and taro in this review.

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