Action on supermarkets welcome, must ensure right to food

The right to food must be the core driver of Government action to reign in unfair behaviour by supermarkets, the Green Party says.

“Food is a basic human right and for too long the supermarket duopoly has made huge profits at people's expense, while also not giving food growers and makers a fair deal,” said Green Party commerce and consumer affairs spokesperson Ricardo Menéndez March.

“The Green Party welcomes the creation of a supermarket industry regulator ‘watchdog’ and mandatory code of conduct, which we have been proposing for more than a decade.

“Opening up supermarkets’ wholesale arms to competitors, and potential separation of their wholesale and retail arms, could be a game changer. We’ve seen it drive better competition in sectors like telecommunications and it has real potential to bring food prices down for people in Aotearoa.

“We also welcome the Government’s signal that it may require the divestment of some stores to promote competition.

“Fixing supermarkets isn’t the only solution to providing healthy, affordable kai in our communities. Farmers markets, community markets, and urban food gardens can shorten the supply chain, reducing transport costs and emissions, and deserve more support from Government and local councils.

“Aotearoa has excellent conditions for growing our own food. Supporting local food security helps communities break free from the supermarket giants and their volatile global supply chains.”

ENDS

Latest Commerce and Consumer Affairs Announcements

Story

Urgent intervention needed on supermarkets

The Green Party is calling on the Government to intervene in the supermarket duopoly dominating our supply of groceries following today’s report fr...
Read More

Story

Food prices another clear example of why tax changes are urgent

Rising food prices show exactly why now is the time to shake up the tax system and raise the money we need to lift every family out of poverty.
Read More

Story

Greens' Income Guarantee is needed more than ever

Continued rising food prices shows exactly why Aotearoa needs the Green Party’s Income Guarantee.
Read More

Story

Govt must break up supermarkets

The Government needs to do much more to address supermarket profiteering, which is driving high food prices.
Read More

Story

Action to support people to put food on the table more urgent than ever

Yet another increase in food prices shows the urgent need for the Government to tax wealth and use the money to help people put food on the table.
Read More

Story

Action needed to stop supermarkets taking advantage of people

Supermarket profiteering is driving high food prices and it needs to be reined in urgently, the Green Party says.
Read More