Waikato Herald
  • Waikato Herald home
  • Latest news
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Rural
  • Lifestyle
  • Lotto results

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Lifestyle
  • Lotto results

Locations

  • Hamilton
  • Coromandel & Hauraki
  • Matamata & Piako
  • Cambridge
  • Te Awamutu
  • Tokoroa & South Waikato
  • Taupō & Tūrangi

Weather

  • Thames
  • Hamilton
  • Tokoroa
  • Taumarunui
  • Taupō

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • What the Actual
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Waikato News

Coronavirus Covid-19: Kiwis allowed to buy heaters, whiteware online during lockdown

NZ Herald
30 Mar, 2020 03:47 AM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is setting up a website for Kiwi to raise concerns about supermarket price rises during the coronavirus lockdown.

KEY POINTS:
• Another 76 cases of coronavirus confirmed in NZ today
• It brings the total to 589 since pandemic began
• Family of the only woman to die in NZ of Covid-19 say her death is a 'wake-up call'
• Two police staff test positive for coronavirus
• 4200 reports to police of people not complying with lockdown
• PM reveals plan for public to report high supermarket prices
• Kiwis allowed to buy heaters, whiteware and computers online during lockdown

Kiwis will now be able to buy heaters, whiteware and computers during the coronavirus lockdown.

The Government has decided that the sale of essential goods such as heaters, whiteware and computers will be allowed - in recognition of the need for people to safely isolate, stay connected to one another and work or study from home.

In a statement just released the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment says in order to protect public safety there will be conditions around the selling of these items.

Businesses must operate responsibly and only make available for sale genuine essential goods - goods that are necessities of life while ensuring we restrict the movement of people and workers to combat COVID-19.

The public must order responsibly purchasing only those items that are absolutely necessary to facilitate life and work during the lock down period.

In order to be able to sell these essential goods, businesses must:
• Only take orders online or by phone and keep storefronts shut.
• Take orders for only essential non-food goods.
• Home deliver all essential goods in a contactless way and not allow people to visit stores to select or collect goods.
• Take all appropriate public health measures to protect their staff and customers (e.g. physical distancing, hygiene basics, appropriate personal protective equipment).
• Notify MBIE that they meet these conditions and intend to offer essential goods for sale and provide a list of those products.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

READ MORE:
• Covid-19 coronavirus: What is New Zealand's Plan B?
• 76 new coronavirus cases in NZ - Ashley Bloomfield and Mike Bush give update on coronavirus
• Covid 19 coronavirus: Teen supermarket worker's mum shares his garage decontamination station
• Covid 19 coronavirus: New Zealand's first death - victim named as hospitals clear decks, supermarkets face scrutiny

MBIE has warned if businesses can't meet these conditions they should not offer to sell essential goods while the country is at Alert Level 4.

"If businesses are too generous in their interpretation of what is "essential" or flout these rules, Government will take further action."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Essential goods are those that will keep people warm (heaters, blankets), replace key household appliances, and maintain people's health. Examples of essential products are blankets, fridges, heaters and computers or tablets to work from home or do distance learning, or simply connect with people. "If people can't buy these, then we risk people venturing out of their homes more often."

Members of the public are being asked for patience as businesses amend their systems in order to comply with the new rules.

NeedToKnow3
NeedToKnow3
Save

    Share this article

Latest from Waikato News

Waikato Herald

Waikato police name 64yo man killed in Kawhia Rd crash

09 May 02:11 AM
Waikato Herald

Rotorua man named as victim of Waikato crash

09 May 12:49 AM
Waikato Herald

Four-vehicle crash on SH29 injures six, road now reopened

08 May 08:53 PM

One tiny baby’s fight to survive

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Waikato News

Waikato police name 64yo man killed in Kawhia Rd crash
Waikato Herald

Waikato police name 64yo man killed in Kawhia Rd crash

09 May 02:11 AM

The crash happened in Ōpārau near Ōtorohanga about 8.45pm on March 30.

Rotorua man named as victim of Waikato crash
Waikato Herald

Rotorua man named as victim of Waikato crash

09 May 12:49 AM
Four-vehicle crash on SH29 injures six, road now reopened
Waikato Herald

Four-vehicle crash on SH29 injures six, road now reopened

08 May 08:53 PM
'Significant win': New Homegrown host city confident in pulling it off
Waikato Herald

'Significant win': New Homegrown host city confident in pulling it off

08 May 06:00 PM
Connected workers are safer workers 
sponsored

Connected workers are safer workers 

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Waikato Herald e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Waikato Herald
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • What the Actual
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven CarGuide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP