Proposal to broaden scope of covenants

Proposal to broaden scope of covenants

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...

Modern slavery and exploitation

A legislative response to modern slavery and worker exploitation: towards freedom, fairness and dignity in operations and supply chains discussion document – to MBIE document
Further anti-competitive behaviour by supermarkets revealed

Further anti-competitive behaviour by supermarkets revealed

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...
Grocery stalwart Peter Mitchell dies

Grocery stalwart Peter Mitchell dies

New Zealand grocery industry stalwart and icon Peter Mitchell, the only two-time recipient of FGC’s Lifetime Achiever Award, has died. Peter was the owner of Review Publishing, whose stable of publications included the highly regarded Supermarket News, which has been...
Proposal to broaden scope of covenants

FGC welcomes Govt response to Market Study report

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...
Legislation to block land covenants passes first reading

Legislation to block land covenants passes first reading

Legislation to stop major supermarkets blocking competitors from accessing land for new stores is now being considered by a parliamentary select committee. It was introduced into Parliament under urgency on Budget night by Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister David...
Price ‘roll-back’ shows path to affordable groceries

Price ‘roll-back’ shows path to affordable groceries

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...
Legislation to block land covenants passes first reading

Consumer NZ wants Minister to go further

Consumer NZ has launched a petition calling on Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister David Clark to go beyond the Commerce Commission’s recommendations in its report on the grocery sector, in order to bring about stronger competition. The Commission found...
Proposal to broaden scope of covenants

Select committee agrees on Code of Conduct

A parliamentary select committee has agreed a Code of Conduct would help address issues of competition, uncompetitive behaviour, and lack of choice across the grocery sector. After considering a petition by FGC Chief Executive Katherine Rich, it has suggested the...
Proposal to broaden scope of covenants

So will the Govt break up the duopoly?

The likelihood or otherwise of the Government breaking up the supermarket duopoly is the subject of two fascinating pieces of analysis. In the most recent, Stuff business writer Tom Pullar-Strecker concludes the Government isn’t going to overrule the Commerce...