It’s no secret Christmas Eve is one of Aotearoa’s busiest shopping days of the year. As Kiwis prep for the party season, New World has released new sales data that unwraps the food items Kiwi shoppers purchase last minute*.
In addition, if shoppers do find they’ve forgotten what they need for their Christmas Day spread, New World is launching a unique solution to save people being caught short in the form of Xmas SOS vending machines.
LAST MINUTE CHRISTMAS GROCERY GRABS*
New World has found within the last three hours stores are scheduled from closing on Christmas Eve, shoppers stock up on different festive food items around the country. Insights from sales data found:
• In a less traditional take on a standard Christmas side dish, Rotorua shoppers purchased the largest volume of onion soup mix and canned reduced cream purchased together.
• Reindeer are clearly top of mind for Wellingtonians, with the region topping the list for last minute carrot purchases. The data also shows the city is partial to a Chrissy Day pav, with a surge of pavlovas sold in the final few hours of trading.
• Not to be outdone on the dessert front, the data shows the largest combination of sponge trifle and custard purchases were made in Hawke’s Bay in the last three hours.
• Back up north, Whangarei opted for traditional festive fare as the location where the most whole lamb legs were sold in the last three hours of trading.
• But when it comes to berries, down south reigns supreme. Kaikoura shoppers bagged the most cherries in the South Island, while Christchurch stocked up on strawberries more than anywhere else in New Zealand.
• And Auckland can stake claim to being the nation’s chocolate capital; the City of Sails bought the most choccies ahead of Christmas close**.
XMAS SOS VENDING MACHINES FOR CHRISTMAS DAY
To help Kiwis out if they discover a vital item of festive fare has slipped off the shopping list come Christmas Day, New World is launching Xmas SOS vending machines at select stores around the country.
Whether people realise they’re short on berries, in need of extra custard, or find themselves craving ingredients to make onion dip, three Xmas SOS vending machines located in Auckland (NW Stonefields), Wellington (NW Wellington City), and Christchurch (NW Durham Street) will be stocked with a selection of grocery items people might forget to buy along with other handy extras.
Available until stock runs out, all proceeds from the Xmas SOS vending machines will go to the City Mission in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.
* Based on the total number of grocery products (per unit) sold instore during the last three hours of trading on Christmas Eve, 24 December 2023, at all New World stores nationwide trading on that day. Excludes alcohol.
**Combines sales of all Cadbury, Ferrero Rocher, Nestle, & Pams chocolate products. # # #
