NZ Engine

Household living-costs price indexes: March 2025 quarter – cancelled

23 April 2025

The Household living-costs price indexes: March 2025 quarter (HLPI) has been cancelled and will not be released on 1 May 2025.  

This is due to a range of technical data processing challenges in updating and applying the weights for the HLPIs, following the Consumers price index review: 2024.

We are working with our customers to understand the impacts of this and to find a solution, and we will provide a further update.

New weights from the Consumers price index review: 2024 have been successfully implemented in the selected price indexes and the CPI. However, updating and applying these to the HLPI has been much more complicated.

Cancelling the March 2025 edition of Household living-costs price indexes does not affect the quarterly CPI. Our economic data remains reliable, fit-for-purpose, and within international best practice. 

The HLPI is used as an input for one of the measures of child poverty statistics. A key part of our solution will be to ensure we deliver on our obligations to measure child poverty.    

We apologise for any inconvenience this causes.  

Ends

For media enquiries contact: Yvette Preece, Wellington, 021 285 9191, media@stats.govt.nz

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Source: Statistics New Zealand

Research and development survey: 2024 – 23 April 2025 – Research and development (R&D) statistics report on research and development activity, including expenditure and related employment across the business, government, and higher education sectors in New Zealand.

Every two years, including 2024, all three sectors are surveyed. In 2019, 2021, and 2023, the survey was conducted for the business sector only.

R&D expenditure figures are in nominal terms and are not adjusted for inflation.

This release focuses on data from 2024, with comparisons back to 2018. The survey design has remained comparable over this time.  Previous data, gathered under old survey designs, date back to 2006 and is available in Infoshare.

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Reminder: Infoshare downtime tomorrow

Kia ora,

This is a friendly reminder that Infoshare will be undergoing a routine maintenance update starting tomorrow, Wednesday 23 April, and will be temporarily unavailable from 5pm to 6pm.

We appreciate your patience during this time.

Ngā mihi nui (kind regards)
Stats NZ Tatatauranga Aotearoa

Ends

The Government Statistician authorises all statistics and data we publish.

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Thank you for using the Stats NZ subscription service.

Publishing team
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publishing@stats.govt.nz
www.stats.govt.nz

More information is available on the Stats NZ website at www.stats.govt.nz

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Source: Statistics New Zealand

Overseas merchandise trade: March 2025 – 22 April 2025 – Overseas merchandise trade statistics provide information on imports and exports of merchandise goods between New Zealand and other countries.

Correction to the overseas merchandise trade (OMT) series EXP+.S2PT04F for the period June 2016 to February 2025

In this release we have corrected the June 2016 to February 2025 overseas merchandise trade ‘Value of Exports & re-exports – milk powder, butter, and cheese’ monthly, quarterly, and annual Infoshare series EXP+.S2PT04F, to correct an error in data processing .This does not affect the series EXP+.S2U04AF.

Infoshare changes by date has further information about this correction.

Key facts
This release refers to trade in goods only.

In March 2025, compared with March 2024:

• goods exports rose by $1.2 billion (19 percent), to $7.6 billion
• goods imports rose by $723 million (12 percent), to $6.6 billion
• the monthly trade balance was a surplus of $970 million.

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Source: Statistics New Zealand

Update to 2023 Census methodology paper – 17 April 2025 – Stats NZ has today updated the following 2023 Census methodology paper:

The paper explains the principles, policies, and processes for managing people’s information in the course of producing census outputs (data and statistical releases, products, services, and research).
 
Today we have added a new section that allows tables to be marked as sensitive if they contain sensitive variables.

Source: Statistics New Zealand

Meal kits, cruises, and smart watches added to CPI basket in latest update – 17 April 2025 – People are spending more on delivered meal kits and smart watches, but less on older technology such as DVDs, home telephone line rentals, and national toll calls, Stats NZ said today.

Following changes in what New Zealand households typically spend their money on, the consumers price index (CPI) basket of goods and services has been updated. The CPI basket is used to measure inflation.

“Changing spending patterns and consumer tastes mean it’s important to update the CPI basket so it remains relevant and reflects New Zealand society,” consumer prices spokesperson Nicola Growden said.

Delivered meal kits and cruises have been added to the basket from this quarter.

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Source: Statistics New Zealand

Annual inflation at 2.5 percent in March 2025 – 17 April 2025 – Aotearoa New Zealand’s consumers price index (CPI) increased 2.5 percent in the 12 months to the March 2025 quarter, according to figures released by Stats NZ today.

The 2.5 percent increase follows a 2.2 percent annual increase to the December 2024 quarter.

“The annual inflation rate is within the Reserve Bank of New Zealand’s target band of 1 to 3 percent for the third consecutive quarter,” prices and deflators spokesperson Nicola Growden said.

Between the June 2021 and June 2024 quarters, annual inflation was above the target band.

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Upcoming Infoshare update – Important information

Kia ora,

We wanted to let you know that Infoshare will be undergoing a security update. To implement these changes, the tool will be temporarily unavailable on Wednesday 23 April from 3pm to 4pm.

We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding.

Thank you for your patience.

Ngā mihi nui (kind regards)
Stats NZ Tatatauranga Aotearoa

Ends

The Government Statistician authorises all statistics and data we publish.

If you wish to change your details or unsubscribe please email subscriptions@stats.govt.nz.

Thank you for using the Stats NZ subscription service.

Publishing team
+64 4 931 4600
publishing@stats.govt.nz
www.stats.govt.nz

More information is available on the Stats NZ website at www.stats.govt.nz

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Source: Statistics New Zealand

Aotearoa New Zealand’s population passes 5.3 million people – 16 April 2025 – Aotearoa New Zealand’s estimated resident population was 5,311,100 as at 31 December 2024, according to figures released by Stats NZ today.  

These are the first population estimates to fully incorporate the 2023 Census and 2023 Post-Enumeration Survey (PES) results. Estimates back to 2018 have now been revised, and estimates after 30 June 2023 will now use the 2023-base estimated resident population as a starting point.

“Census data and the coverage results from the PES are used to recalibrate national and subnational population estimates,” population estimates, projections, and coverage spokesperson Victoria Treliving said.

“This recalibration ensures the population estimates are the best-possible measure of how many people live in communities across the country.”

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Source: Statistics New Zealand

North Island population passes 4 million while South Island population grows faster – 16 April 2025

The population living in the North Island now exceeds 4 million, according to estimates released by Stats NZ today.

The North Island’s population has grown by an average of 1.3 percent a year since 2018, reaching 4.04 million at 30 June 2024. The South Island’s population has grown at a slightly faster rate of 1.4 percent a year, reaching 1.24 million at 30 June 2024.

“It took just over two decades for the North Island’s population to increase from 3 million in late 2002 to 4 million in late 2023,” population estimates and projections spokesperson Victoria Treliving said.

“Over the same time, the South Island population increased by almost 300,000 people.”

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