May 18, 2022 | Katherine Rich Comments
A flurry of activity in recent weeks – some of it public, some not – shows the Government is finally getting around to tidying up New Zealand’s confusing recycling and waste system. But it will need to make sure it treads carefully if it is to take the public with it....
May 11, 2022 | Latest News
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...
May 9, 2022 | Latest News
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...
Apr 29, 2022 | Latest News
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...
Apr 14, 2022 | Katherine Rich Comments
Things have moved fast since the Commerce Commission announced the recommendations from its market study into the grocery sector. With the ink on the report dry for barely a week, stakeholders were being invited by the Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment...
Apr 13, 2022 | Latest News
Commerce Minister David Clark has given his strongest indication yet the Government could be about to break up New Zealand’s supermarket duopoly. Next steps will be announced in late May. In an interview on NewstalkZB about the 7.6% rise in food prices in the year to...
Apr 13, 2022 | Latest News
Could this be the new face of competition in NZ supermarkets: A 500g block of Tararua butter $4 compared to $7.30 and $6.79! A 1.2kg box of Weet-Bix $5 compared to $7.80! Greggs special blend instant coffee $1 compared to $2.49! The lower prices were all from The...
Mar 14, 2022 | Katherine Rich Comments
The two supermarket chains will no doubt be pleased by the absence of recommendations for big structural changes to the sector in the Commerce Commission’s final report on the grocery market study. Others, particularly those looking to find a way into the market as a...
Mar 8, 2022 | Supermarket Code of Conduct
On 8 March 2022, the Commerce Commission published its final report on its Grocery Market Study. One of the key recommendations was for a mandatory Code of Conduct for supermarkets. Here is what it said: GROCERY CODE OF CONDUCT Recommendation 6: Introduce a mandatory...