The powers of the yet-to-be appointed Grocery Commission will be quite extraordinary, the Deputy Secretary, Building, Resources and Markets at MBIE, Paul Stocks told the NZFGC ONE VOICE conference in Queenstown today. He said the ability of the commissioner to review...
Katherine Rich began raising concerns about supermarket power in the grocery sector over a decade ago, speaking “with very much a whisper”, writes Kate MacNamara. But, as Kate reports, “over the years her voice has both strengthened and joined a...
Forcing the supermarket duopoly to negotiate wholesale offerings to competitors on commercial terms is a significant but necessary step if Kiwis are to see better choice and lower prices, says FGC. “This plan by the Government to inject more competition into the...
Grocery suppliers have been faced with a perfect storm as grocery prices rise, says FGC in response to analysis by consultants Infometrics. The analysis, which was commissioned by Foodstuffs NZ, shows grocery costs from suppliers rose 7.9% in July. Infometrics...
The recycling of packaging in New Zealand is set to increase thanks to a new partnership between FGC and the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation which will advance the uptake of the Australasian Recycling Label. The ARL is an on-pack labelling scheme that helps...
The Food & Grocery Council welcomes the Government’s latest steps towards better and fairer deals for supermarket shoppers and suppliers. “Establishing a Grocery Commissioner inside the Commerce Commission is a great move,” a spokesman says. “This shows very...
FGC welcomes the passing of legislation banning covenants that impede the development of land or the use of a site for a grocery store. The Commerce (Grocery Sector Covenants) Amendment Act 2022 deems such covenants as substantially reducing competition in the grocery...
FGC’s revealing submission on restrictive supermarket leases has been acted on by a select committee. The report-back on the Commerce (Grocery Sector Covenants) Amendment Bill by Parliament’s Economic Development, Science and Innovation Committee includes a proposal...
FGC has revealed further anti-competitive behaviour by supermarkets, this time regarding the leases on their premises. Chief Executive Katherine Rich told the parliamentary select committee hearing the Commerce (Grocery Sector Covenants) Amendment Bill the leases ban...
The New Zealand Food & Grocery Council welcomes the Government’s response to the Commerce Commission’s report on its Market Study into the grocery sector, particularly the strong emphasis on a mandatory Code of Conduct – our goal since 2010. “It’s a major task...
Freezes and rollbacks by supermarkets on grocery prices are a recognition there’s a part for supermarkets to play in ensuring affordable groceries, says Katherine Rich. She says she suspects suppliers are paying for these reductions one way or another and “retailer...
The New Zealand Food & Grocery Council welcomes the Commerce Commission’s final report on its market study into the grocery sector. “We are delighted with the outcome – this is a victory for suppliers in terms of fairness, competition, and common sense,” says...
