1 February 2022
Lance Watson
[FYI request #18364 email]
Tēnā koe Lance,
Official Information Act request: Food Price Index raw collection data
Thank you for your request dated 28 January 2022 requesting the following:
“From the Food Price Index information page on datainfoplus:
https://datainfoplus.stats.govt.nz/Item/nz.govt.stats/749d8c27-1bed-45fb-b941-
a1905aee632f/184
"Prices are surveyed by visiting retail outlets in 12 pricing centres: Whangarei,
Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga, Napier-Hastings, New Plymouth, Palmerston North,
Wellington, Nelson, Christchurch, Dunedin, and Invercargill."
You also collect checkout scanner price data that is supplied by some supermarkets.
You gather weekly fruit and vegetable prices, and the remainder on the 8th and 16th
day of the month.
Is the raw data from this collection publicly available? All you present in your data
sets are index based and average pricing (i.e. 1kg of oranges cost $x). I would like to
access the raw data you gathered from each of the 560 outlets in the 12 pricing
centres that you gather from.
Ideally I would prefer if you just regularly published this raw data on your website, but
otherwise, can I request the most up to date set of raw data you collected that shows
the product names you checked (including brand if this is recorded), the price, and
what store (location specific, as there may be multiple of the same supermarket in
one city).”
Stats NZ does not publish the raw data collected for the Food Price Index, including details
of the specific stores the data was collected from. Under the Statistics Act 1975 we cannot
release information that could identify individuals, households, or businesses. Stats NZ
cannot release this data to you directly for the same reason. Accordingly, your request for
this information is refused under section 18(c)(i) of the Official Information Act.
If you would like to learn more, see here for more information about
privacy, security and
confidentiality, an
d confidentiality methods.
If you are not satisfied with this response, you have the right to seek an investigation and
review by the Ombudsman. Information about how to make a complaint is available at
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or 0800 802 602.
It is our policy to proactively release our responses to official information requests where
possible. This letter, with your personal details removed, will be published on the Stats NZ
website. Publishing responses creates greater openness and transparency of government
decision-making, and helps better inform public understanding of the reasons for decisions.
Ngā mihi nui
Kate Satterthwaite
Senior Manager, Executive and Government Relations
Office of the Chief Executive
Stats NZ
