A Pak’nSave Gisborne receipt from 1994 has gone viral for reminding us how little fresh produce and classic NZ lunchbox staples used to cost.
A Kiwi Reddit user shared a photo of the now-historical document, which they found in their parents' garage. The ink might be faded, but the price comparisons are clear as day.
Commenters found themselves yearning for the good old days when we were stocking up on cartons of Fresh Up concentrate and you could grab Chelsea buns for $1.
"Who's this rich kid getting a new 250ml Fresh Up for lunch every day?" one commenter wrote. While another said: "$1 for a Chelsea Bun, those were the days!"
We're all too aware of how absurd grocery prices are these days, but it's hard to see in black and white that produce has roughly doubled in the last 30 years.
You used to be able to snag a kilogram of bananas for $1.55, and the same amount of carrots for just 95 cents.
"$5.59 for a kilo of Colby cheese is the real standout to me," another commenter mentioned.
"Mmmm, tasty 'Beef Misc'," added a fourth. Haha yeah, the good ol' beef misc. casserole was a specialty in our home!
In 1994, gravy beef cost as little as $3.65. While an unspecified amount is listed on the receipt, for the same price today that pocket change would get you a mere 150g.
"Looking through my shopping list, it looks like $5 is the new $1.35," someone joked.
We can't help but wish cheap groceries were one of the many 90s trends making a comeback in 2024 - we'd happily trade the return of low-rise jeans for a $1 Chelsea bun!
