Many imported items

Press, 23 July 1987, Page 21

Many imported items

Many new food products from overseas have been introduced in Christchurch supermarkets during the last few weeks, according to the general manager of Foodstuffs Cooperative, Ltd, Mr Russell Thomas.

The imports ranged from canned items to icecream cones, and Mr Thomas believed that the increase was partly because of the relaxation of import controls and the strength of the New Zealand dollar.

Food prices were stable at present and it would give New Zealand manufacturers some keen competition and could result in lower prices for some goods, he said. The manager of Woolworths southern area office, Mr John Maze, said that overseas products had been increasing in quantity for the last year.

He said the chain of supermarkets imported to complement the range of New Zealand products available to the public and also to make items available at more competitive prices.

“Under Government legislation it is too expensive to produce some things in New Zealand and it is cheaper in Australia. If we can buy better or cheaper products overseas, we will.” Mr Maze said that canned foods from Australia generally cost less than those made here. However, he said that other than these, most items were imported on a small scale and were therefore creating little threat to New Zealand

manufacturers. Woolworths are taking advantage of closer economic relations with Australia to import a line of spaghetti and macaroni. The pasta was better than anything in New Zealand because of a superior strain of wheat grown there, said Mr Maze. The demand for a rea-sonably-priced cooking oil from Canada has also encouraged the supermarket to buy further consignments.