Grocery bills, wages and tax on everyday goods sit at the top of most voters' lists.
GST applies at 15% to almost everything. Removing it from fresh produce would lower some prices, but critics argue it is poorly targeted and complicated to run.
ACT strongly opposes removing GST from fruit and vegetables, calling it poorly targeted because wealthier households would benefit most. Source
The Greens propose no change to GST and have previously preferred income-focused tax changes over removing GST from produce. Source
UnconfirmedLabour campaigned on this in 2023, but its 2026 tax platform, as tracked by KPMG, does not include it. It has pledged not to raise GST. Source
National opposed Labour's 2023 GST-off-produce plan, arguing supermarkets would capture the benefit; no change to that view was found for 2026. Source
UnconfirmedNZ First has previously supported removing GST from basic food, later softening to a proposed inquiry. No 2026 commitment was found. Source
Te Pāti Māori previously sought to remove GST from all food, but its 2026 plan replaces that with a targeted kai tax credit for lower earners. Source
UnconfirmedThe Opportunity Party proposes no change to GST, focusing instead on a citizen's income and land value tax. No explicit statement on produce was found. Source
Two companies run most of New Zealand's supermarkets. A Commerce Commission study found competition was not working well for consumers.
ACT opposes forced supermarket break-ups, calling them unethical, and favours faster consenting for new competitors instead. Source
The Greens would force Foodstuffs and Woolworths to sell 120 stores and two distribution centres to create a publicly owned chain. Source
Labour would require both major grocers to separate their wholesale arms from retail, a structural split short of breaking up the chains entirely. Source
National would legislate to split Foodstuffs into competing chains if a six-month Commerce Commission review finds shoppers would benefit. Source
NZ First proposes breaking up the supermarket duopoly, including splitting Foodstuffs into two competing cooperatives. Source
No break-up position was found. Te Pāti Māori instead proposes funding Māori-owned supermarket competitors and a kai tax credit. Source
The Opportunity Party would give the Commerce Commission powers and funding to seek duopoly break-ups through the High Court. Source
The adult minimum wage is set annually by the government. Larger rises lift low incomes but some businesses say they lead to fewer jobs or higher prices.
ACT would freeze the adult minimum wage for three years and introduce a lower training wage for young workers. Source
The Greens want to lift the minimum wage to the living wage, a large increase above inflation, and abolish the training wage. Source
Labour has committed to raising the minimum wage at least in line with inflation and told unions it would set it above inflation for three years. Source
National's government raised the minimum wage 2% in 2026; Luxon says it should rise with inflation more or less, with no commitment to exceed it. Source
NZ First pledges to raise the minimum wage by at least inflation every year for the next three years. Source
Te Pāti Māori supports lifting the minimum wage to the living wage, which would mean rises well above inflation. Source
UnconfirmedThe Opportunity Party has no specific minimum wage policy; it focuses on a universal citizen's income alongside minimum wage protections. Source