New Zealand Adds Craft Beer to Inflation Gauge as Tastes Change

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Droplets of Asahi Breweries Ltd.'s Asahi Super Dry beer sits on glass in this arranged photograph in Tokyo, Japan, on Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2016. Asahi agreed to buy SABMiller Plc's eastern European assets including Pilsner Urquell from Anheuser-Busch InBev NV for 7.3 billion euros ($7.8 billion), as the Budweiser maker ties up loose ends after combining the world's two biggest brewers.Photographer: Tomohiro Ohsumi/Bloomberg

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By Tracy Withers

January 12, 2018 at 12:10 AM UTC

This article is for subscribers only.

New Zealand has added craft beer to the basket of goods it monitors to measure inflation, reflecting changing tastes and consumer spending in the South Pacific nation.

“New Zealand used to be called a country of rugby, racing and beer but spending patterns are changing,” Jason Attewell, senior manager at Statistics New Zealand in Wellington, said Friday. “Kiwis are increasingly keen on craft beer, body massages at beauty spas and football club memberships.”