Avocados have become the symbol of a generation - but with a hefty price tag, Gen-Zers are struggling to follow in Millenials' footsteps as their predecessors continue to sing the humble fruit's praises.
At the time of writing, just one avocado will set you back $2.10 at New World - or two for $3.50 on special - while a single fruit costs $1.40 at Countdown, or two for $2.50. At PaknSave, one avo is priced at $0.99c - a relative steal - while an organic two-pack costs $6.99.
But once upon a time, the brunch staple could be picked up during a Four Square sale for a mere $0.55c - a revelation that sent shockwaves through the Reddit community after a two-decade-old advertisement resurfaced on social media.
A newspaper clipping of the old advertisement, which ran in the Timaru Herald in January 2000, was shared to the New Zealand subreddit on Tuesday morning.
Other notable specials shown in the ad - which were available until January 16, 2000 - included a 500g block of Mainland Creamery butter for $1.95, a kilo of Telegraph cucumbers for $1.05, and a 700g block of Koromiko cheese for $3.99.
"Fifty-five cents for avocados... those were better times," one user wrote nostalgically.
"A lot of that stuff is remarkably cheap," said another. "$1 for cucumbers, now that's a bargain."
"I don't know what makes the year 2000 seem more historic: butter for a dollar-something or being able to buy camera film," another commented, noting that Kodak 35mm 100-speed 24-exposure film was available for just $6.45.
For comparison, at Pak'nSave, 500g of Mainland butter is currently priced at $5.78, while one Telegraph cucumber will set you back $4.49. A 700g block of Mainland Tasty cheese is $11.49.
At Countdown, 500g of Mainland butter is $5.99; a Telegraph cucumber is $4.99; and 700g of Mainland Tasty cheese is a staggering $15.89.
However, the prices of some products aren't as drastically different to those on the supermarket shelves today, with a 1.5 litre bottle of budget soft drink costing just $0.95c, and a 1 litre of Just Juice costing $1.89.
But it's the price of the humble avocado that really has hackles raised - with some Reddit users wistfully reminiscing on the good old days when homeownership was within reach.
"That's why we could afford houses," they joked.
"Avocados - no wonder everyone could afford to buy five houses in Auckland back then," said another.
