On Wednesday, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern encouraged people to use restaurants that did their own food deliveries instead of using Uber Eats.
Uber Eats continues to charge high commission rates.
When the country moves to Alert Level 3 the problem for some may well be to decide how their restaurant meals will be delivered.
But there is a growing number who cannot even buy food from the supermarket.
Earlier this month the CEO of the Christchurch City Mission Matthew Mark told Newshub he feared the more elongated the lockdown the more demand would increase.
He said we know that the lockdown is necessary, and appears to be working to stemming the spread; however, we also need to be aware of the spread of other resultant factors.
“As businesses are closing their doors permanently resulting in increased unemployment, the reduction of hours and/or levels of pay and the changing dynamic of our environment.”
On Wednesday Auckland City Missioner Chris Farrelly said some of those people needing help have never been to a food bank before.
“Now we have this new group who have been affected by business closures, reduced hours, pay cuts, some of those in precarious work arrangements, who’ve just suddenly found themselves unable to feed their children.”
Murray Edridge from the Wellington City Mission said they’ve seen a 400 per cent increase in the need for food parcels.
He says the sharp increase shows the financial pressure New Zealanders are under during the pandemic.
Some of those people are elderly or have vulnerable family members or young children, and they just can’t get to a supermarket.
“Quite frankly, some people are very afraid of leaving the house, and we’re seeing that.”
A support package to bolster the delivery of food and welfare assistance by local authorities and Civil Defence Emergency Management (CDEM) Groups has been approved by the government.
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