A survey in New Zealand found that 31% of households experienced food insecurity, meaning nearly one in three struggled to consistently afford nutritious meals.
Even with slightly better awareness of where to get help, most food-insecure households still didn't receive formal support, according to Radio New Zealand.
Here's what to know
Commissioned by the New Zealand Food Network, the survey questioned 3,000 people between July and August. The organization collects, sorts, and redistributes bulk surplus food to more than 60 charities.
RNZ noted that the result was effectively unchanged from the 2025 survey in statistical terms. Some 14% of respondents were in the moderate food insecurity group, where households cut back on quality, variety, or nutrition, and 17% in the severe group, where eating patterns were disrupted and meals were skipped.
New Zealand Food Network CEO Gavin Findlay warned that the issue cuts across communities and age groups.
"Access to food should never be uncertain, yet food insecurity continues to be a significant and persistent issue affecting New Zealanders across the country, from the young family next door to the older retired couple down the street," he observed.
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Knowledge of where to seek help rose to 58%, up from 54% in 2025, but only 23% of households that struggled received formal food support.
More background
Among people experiencing severe food insecurity, nearly half rated their physical health as poor or fair, and 54% said the same about their mental health.
Food insecurity affects whether people have the energy to work, care for children, and stay healthy enough to avoid more serious problems.
"When you're constantly worrying about where the next meal comes from, it can wear down every part of your well-being," Findlay noted.
The pressure was greatest for renters, disabled Kiwis, Pacific communities, and single-parent households. It also extended to workers, with 28% of people employed full-time for 40 hours a week still struggling to pay for food after covering housing costs.
Auckland City missioner Helen Robinson said her organization had seen "a growing of the breadth of people who are coming," including "families where there are two or three people in paid employment, and they just can't make ends meet."
Having a job is not enough to shield households from food insecurity when housing and living costs remain high.
What's being done?
The New Zealand Food Network is still supplying food to charities nationwide, while the survey is being used to build a clearer picture of how large the problem has become.
"If you don't measure something it's very hard to do something about it," Findlay remarked. "Food should be one of those things that is a fundamental right for a human being. We have to have an environment where people have got access to sufficient nutritious food."
Even among households that received formal food support, 30% said the assistance still did not cover their basic needs.
Community groups are also facing pressure from both directions: more people seeking assistance and fewer people able to give.
Delphina Soti, general manager of the Vinnies Tāmaki Makaurau food bank, acknowledged that donations had fallen sharply, adding that non-cash gifts and bulk products from businesses had seen a "close to about a 40 percent" drop.
Robinson called for a food strategy that addresses how New Zealand will feed people sustainably while balancing land use, exports, and environmental impacts.
In the absence of a stronger plan, Robinson warned the crisis is likely to deepen.
"Without a food strategy, people like you and me are going to be coming here year after year as the depth of need increases."
Where can I learn more?
Food insecurity is rising elsewhere too, with households in other countries facing many of the same pressures around affordability, supply, and access.
• In Japan, an unexpected crisis fuels food insecurity as healthier diets become harder to afford.
• Worldwide, food banks provided 1.7 billion meals while keeping huge amounts of food from landfills.
• In California, ExtraFood said we have the food needed to feed more people.
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