New Zealand Milk Enters Taiwan Duty-Free: Consumers Question High Prices

Are Taiwan's milk prices justified despite duty-free imports? Consumer groups raise concerns.

Since January of this year, liquid milk from New Zealand has entered Taiwan duty-free. However, consumers are questioning why the price of approximately one-liter cartons of New Zealand fresh milk remains between NT$85 and NT$120. Moreover, the prices across various retail channels haven't seen a significant decrease, leading many consumers to ask, "Where's the cheaper New Zealand milk?"

The Consumers' Foundation (消基會) has already raised concerns about the high price of fresh milk in Taiwan since 2016. The Foundation's international price comparisons revealed that the domestic raw milk purchase price was approximately NT$22 to NT$30 per liter. Surprisingly, after simple sterilization, the retail price soared to NT$80 to NT$90, which was clearly unreasonable. Despite nine years of advocating for price adjustments, this issue persists.