Shoppers win as supermarket fast-track idea becomes reality

ACT Leader David Seymour has welcomed today’s introduction of the Fast-track Approvals Amendment Bill, saying it reflects ACT's push to tackle high prices with less bureaucracy.

I raised this idea in July because we need to remove every single barrier to supermarket competition. ACT has consistently made the case that we need to give the Aldis and Coles of the world confidence to invest and compete in New Zealand.

"On 12 July, ACT proposed a fast track for new supermarkets to bypass the years-long consenting process that protects incumbents and blocks competition. I'm really thrilled to see the Government adopting this idea, and ACT has plenty more where it came from.

"We've come a long way. A year ago, the debate around supermarkets focused on heavy-handed interventions from government that would have only scared away new operators. Now we're actually making it easier to come here by removing regulatory barriers built by successive previous governments.

“Kiwis want affordable groceries and more choice. The best way to achieve that isn’t with more bureaucracy, it’s by welcoming new entrants, cutting the red tape, and letting competition work.”