Supermarket reforms taking right track

"ACT has long argued that consumers need investment and competition, and the Government’s strongest suit is to remove barriers to those things. New or incumbent supermarkets serve customers better when they invest in the supply chains that get the right groceries to the right place at the right time at a competitive price. Today’s announcements chart a constructive path, making it easier for new supermarkets to build, open, and compete.

"On the other hand heavy-handed interventions, or even the threat of them, scare away the very investment that would make the market more competitive. There are nearly 200 countries in the world seeking investment, and sadly New Zealand is not the first one most investors think of. If we want investment, we need to stop doing things that repel it and start doing things that attract it.

"New investment means more choices and lower prices. When people are driving across the country just to shop at Costco, you see how people want more investment and the choices it brings. I’m pleased to see the debate back on the right track, steering toward pro-investment solutions.

"Of course, there are always more opportunities for better policy. Dumping Labour’s failed policies that have not improved the industry for consumers would be another constructive move. Setting up a grocery regulator breathing down the industry’s neck, and forcing them to sell to their competitors hasn’t actually helped shoppers. Rules that cost money without working should be gone."