Some Pasifika shoppers are saying Auckland supermarkets should not be locking up canned corned beef - a staple in many island households.
Some stores have placed it behind the counter, citing theft.
At Woolworths Māngere East and Te Atatū South, bulk quantities of some canned corned beef products were recently removed from shelves and kept behind the counter.
The item, which now costs close to $8 a can, is found in many Pacific households whether for a toʻonaʻi, Sunday feed, or affordable weeknight meal cooked in many ways to feed a big family.
Woolworths New Zealand, which owns Countdown, said the move was linked to rising thefts.
"To help reduce the risk of theft in some locations, we have limited the number of higher-priced items on show, or held some high-valued products behind the counter," it said in a statement.
"We would like to reassure our customers that there are still sufficient numbers of corn beef products available on our shelves, and to shop.
Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi
"Over the last two years, we've been working hard to introduce a number of initiatives to reduce retail crime and improve team and customer safety in our stores. These include team training, trolley lock technology, push to talk radios, team safety cameras (in all stores), fog cannons, double-entry gates and anti-sweep shelving."
RNZ Pacific went out in to the Woolworths Māngere East and spoke to locals.
One woman said it shouldn't be behind the counter.
"We do that in Te Atatū, and I think it's everywhere else, because our people are helping themselves because it's so expensive."
One man said the shops had no choice but to resort to putting it behind the counter.
"I mean not permanently, no, but hey, how are you going to stop it from being stolen?"
When asked about whether it should be just be corned beef put behind the counter - as other products also get stolen - he said: "I don't think it's stolen as much as corned beef. It's much easier to steal. Most other meats are bigger, you know, bigger packs.
"Nothing to do with racism...that's a people thing, that's not a food thing."
One person said it was a racist move.
"People are going to steal whatever meat and so it's racist that they know that our people - we're used to corn beef, and that's the meal that they can do many things with. So it should be there ready for them to access without feeling whakaama about having to ask for it, knowing that with that comes the connotation of being looked at as a thief.
"It has that connotation behind it of being not just racial, but also ... you've got that tag of being poor."
Another person said they grew up on corned beef.
"It's so important to us.
"Another thing is, can they put a bit down? It's a bit expensive over here."
A shop owner in Māngere, Ashwini Jagasar, has also locked up corned beef.
"We put it behind our shelf because of the theft.
"A lot of things are being stolen but corned beef is very expensive."
Back in 2015, Stuff reported the same thing happening in West Auckland stores.
Woolworths NZ told RNZ Pacific that while there was no national policy on the volume of canned corned beef on display, store managers can make that call if theft was high.
After RNZ Pacific made enquiries, Woolworths confirmed the full range of canned corned beef at Te Atatū South is now back on shelves.
Woolworths New Zealand said they would continue to work closely with police, local communities, retail/industry groups and government agencies to combat retail crime.
In April 2024, a man was arrested for stealing $2000 of groceries from supermarkets in Auckland over several months. Counties Manukau South Area Commander, Inspector Joe Hunter, said they believed he took 20 cans of canned corned beef from Woolworths Takanini on a Monday morning.
