New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern pays stranger’s grocery bill

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has admitted to paying another mother’s grocery bill after the stranger forgot her wallet, a light moment for a leader still receiving plaudits for her handling of a gun massacre at two mosques.

The unnamed woman wrote on Facebook that “just when you think Jacinda Ardern couldn’t get any more lovely, low key and authentic ... she goes and pays for your groceries at the supermarket, because you’ve got your shopping, have two kids with you and are about to put it all back as you forgot your wallet,” local news website Stuff Ltd reported.

Ms Ardern confirmed making the payment when asked about it by local media. When asked why she paid the other person’s bill, Ms Ardern replied, “because she was a mum”, without offering further explanation.

In the Facebook post, which was deleted, the unnamed woman wrote how she tried to explain to her children how the prime minister had just bought their groceries, according to Stuff.

“All they cared about was how silly mummy was forgetting her wallet. Totally lost on them,” the website reported.

Ms Ardern, who last year joined the tiny club of female political leaders to give birth while in power, has been receiving praise around the world for her actions since a lone gunman stormed two mosques in the city of Christchurch and shot dead 50 people and injured dozens more.

Within days of the March 15 attack, Ms Ardern, 37, banned semi-automatic weapons, called for the country’s most powerful type of public inquiry into the incident, and demanded world leaders take action to stop violent content on social media.