The Commerce Commission has published the Grocery Market Study post-conference submissions. NZFGC’s submission on measures required to facilitate competition includes the following recommendations:
- urgent introduction of a mandatory Code of Conduct based on the UK’s, or on the Australian code but with a UK-style independent adjudicator
- regulation to address the conflicts of interest with private labels
- Commerce Act section 36 reform, including confirmation that the major supermarkets have “Substantial Market Power”
- other section 36 reforms should be considered
- giving the Commission power to issue ‘block authorisation’ and related collective bargaining authorisation
- A broader review of all ownership interests of the majors and associated parties to assess overall market power issues (including horizontal, vertical and conglomerate issues)
- greater accounting / operational transparency and mandatory notification of acquisitions