While you're here
Food shopping in New Zealand: supermarkets, dairies and markets
Where to buy food on the road, what things cost, opening-hour quirks and the small habits that cut a holiday food bill in half.
6 min read · updated 2026-09
Eating every meal out adds up fast here. Most travellers who stay on budget do the same thing locals do: shop at a big supermarket in the cities, top up at small stores in between, and keep the restaurant meals for the places worth remembering.
The kinds of shops you'll see
| Type of shop | What it's good for | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Large discount supermarket | Big shops, bulk items, cheapest overall | $ |
| Full-service supermarket | Wide range, in-store bakery and deli, often a pharmacy | $$ |
| Premium supermarket | Excellent fresh produce, specialty foods | $$$ |
| Small-town supermarket or superette | Essentials in rural areas | $$ |
| Corner store (a 'dairy') | Milk, bread, snacks, ice cream, late hours | $$$ |
| Asian and international grocers | Spices, noodles, specialty ingredients, often cheap produce | $$ |
| Farmers' markets and roadside stalls | Seasonal fruit and vegetables, usually weekends | $$ |
Practical things to know
- Single-use plastic bags are gone. Bring your own bags or buy a reusable one at the checkout.
- Prices include tax. The shelf price is the price you pay.
- Loyalty cards are free to sign up for and give you member-only prices plus fuel discounts at partner petrol stations — worth it even for a two-week trip.
- Stock up in a city before heading somewhere remote. Small-town shops carry less and charge more.
- Most supermarkets open early and close late, but they must close on Good Friday, Easter Sunday, Christmas Day and until 1pm on Anzac Day.
- Beer and wine are sold in most supermarkets; spirits are only sold in bottle shops. You need photo ID if you look under 25, and alcohol is not sold before 7am or after 11pm.
Holiday parks nearly always have a shared kitchen, and most motels have a kitchenette. Even if you don't want to cook, a ready-made meal, a rotisserie chicken or a supermarket salad costs a fraction of the same thing in a cafe.
Eating well for less
- Buy seasonal fruit — it is cheap, local and genuinely good. Stone fruit in summer, apples and feijoas in autumn, citrus in winter.
- Supermarket bakeries mark down bread and pastries late in the day.
- Fill a chilly bin or the fridge before a long driving day. Roadside options thin out quickly outside towns.
- Fill your water bottle from the tap — tap water is safe and free everywhere in the country.
If you'd rather not drive between towns loaded with shopping, we can. Our drivers are happy to stop at a supermarket on the way through — just tell them when you get in.
Common questions
- Is food expensive in New Zealand?
- Groceries cost roughly what they do in Australia or the UK, and more than in much of Asia or North America. Eating out is where the real cost sits, so mixing in self-catering makes a big difference.
- Can I buy alcohol in a supermarket?
- Beer and wine yes, spirits no. Sales stop between 11pm and 7am, and some areas have extra local restrictions.
- Are supermarkets open on public holidays?
- Mostly yes, but they must close on Good Friday, Easter Sunday and Christmas Day, and cannot open before 1pm on Anzac Day.
- Can I drink the tap water?
- Yes, town water supplies are safe throughout New Zealand. Don't drink untreated water from streams when hiking.
See more of it in a day
Private day tours with your own driver-guide: you choose the stops, we handle the driving, the timing and the road knowledge. Add or drop places on the day as long as the finish time still works.
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