Commodity price survey

Survey at a glance

About the survey

What is this information used for?

This information, collected every quarter, is compared to the same type of information collected in previous quarter. The comparative change or movement in commodity prices over time is used in the calculation of the business price indexes.

Who is included in the survey?

The population for this survey is extremely large. It includes every business across all sectors of the New Zealand economy. Approximately 3,500 businesses are selected in the sample. Any New Zealand business can be selected.

How are businesses selected to be in the survey?

The sample for this survey is selected using a process called stratified-purposive sampling. This means all businesses in the industry are ordered by total revenue (size) and then a sample is drawn to represent each grouping of similarly sized businesses.

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About giving data

How often does this survey take place?

Quarterly, in February, May, August and November.

If our business is included in the survey, who should complete the survey?

Accountant, pricing analyst, or member of the sales and marketing team.

Why can't I be replaced by other similar companies?

To accurately track the change in prices, we need to survey the same respondents each quarter.

Why have I been sent this questionnaire?

You have been sent this questionnaire because your business produces or provides a commodity that is surveyed by the Commodity Price Survey. We select businesses that are representative of other businesses producing or providing the same commodity, or unique in producing or providing a commodity different to that of other, similar businesses.

How long am I in this survey for?

We cannot provide you with a definite timeframe as to how long your business will be included in the survey sample because reselection of the sample for any particular industry varies according to how much change occurs within that industry.

How is my privacy protected?

Under the Statistics Act 1975, only authorised people can see our individual information and they must use it only for statistical purposes. Your information will be combined with information from other respondents to prepare summary statistics. Statistics New Zealand makes sure that no individual response can be identified when the results are published.

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About your obligations

Why should I provide information to Statistics New Zealand?

Under the Statistics Act 1975 you must provide the information requested by Statistics New Zealand. It is also important that information from all of the businesses surveyed is accurately represented in the statistical results.

Will I be paid for providing information to Statistics New Zealand?

Providing information to Statistics New Zealand is a statutory obligation. There is no provision in the Statistics Act for people to be paid for providing information. Where possible, we request information in a way that is easily obtainable from business records. We also recognise that completing survey questionnaires can be time consuming. For some surveys, we provide survey respondents with information that can be useful for your business planning purposes. Also, survey results are available free of charge on the Statistics New Zealand website.

Will my information be shared with other government agencies?

The Statistics Act 1975 states that:

• all information collected under the Act must be used only for statistical purposes
• no information is released by Statistics New Zealand in a form that could enable the person or undertaking to whom it relates to be identified.

Consequently, Statistics New Zealand does not share your information with other government agencies. Other government agencies can provide their information to Statistics New Zealand, but only for statistical purposes. Statistics New Zealand sometimes undertakes a statistical survey jointly with another government department or government agency. In all cases, respondents are informed that it is a joint collection. You may object to information being passed to the other party by writing to Statistics New Zealand. Where this right is exercised, Statistics New Zealand withholds the information from the other party.

Do I have to complete this questionnaire?

Businesses selected for any Statistics New Zealand survey must provide the information requested. This is a legal requirement under the Statistics Act 1975. We appreciate that it can be difficult and time consuming to complete survey forms. If you would prefer to provide information by fax or by email, please phone our Survey Help Desk on 0800 809 464 to discuss these options.

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About using information

Are results from the Commodity Data Collection and Commodity Price Survey available?

Yes, information is used each quarter in the Producers Price Index (PPI). Use this link to access key results from other Statistics New Zealand surveys.