$8 for butter? Duncan Garner calls out rapid rise in butter price

  • 23/11/2017

Is $8 for a 375g block of butter the most expensive ever?

If not, it's got to be pretty close.

AM Show host Duncan Garner took a moment on Thursday morning's show to express shock at the continuing rise in dairy products, and renew his offer to Fonterra to appear on his show.

The cost of butter is now at an all-time high in New Zealand, sitting at $5.67 for the cheapest block - climbing beyond the previous record high set in September 2017, when it was $5.55.

A year ago, the price of the cheapest 500g block was $3.50 - signifying a 62 percent lift in prices in the last 12 months alone.

Garner's remarks on the show came after he posted a photo of butter at his local supermarket on social media.

"I tested the price of butter yesterday on Facebook, [asking] 'How much are you paying?'" he said.

"One person got back to me saying butter was $9.20 at a small supermarket in Eltham - that's in the heart of dairy country, Taranaki. It was $9.95 at a store in Napier.

"The cheapest was $5.75 at PAK'nSAVE in Te Awamutu."

On his Facebook page, Garner marvelled at the $8 price tag on a 375g block of butter, ironically noting there were savings of 70 cents on the product.

The post prompted a plethora of angry responses, accusations of price manipulation by dairy companies, and even a recipe for making your own butter from organic cream.

"The offer to Fonterra and supermarkets remains," Garner reiterated.

"You're welcome to come on the show and discuss this on this programme."

Newshub.