Read our policy
Our policy will reform the food system so that everyone has easy and affordable access to good, nutritious kai.
The price of groceries
Food should be affordable for everyone. But do you know how much grocery staples have gone up in the last 10 years?
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The Problem
We’re a nation of 5 million people, producing enough to feed 40 million people. Our food system could ensure that every New Zealander has access to affordable and nutritious kai.
Despite this, one in five children live in households that run out of food, food costs have increased by 29% over the last five years, and demand for food banks and emergency food grants is the highest it has been at any time, except during the pandemic.
Two big supermarket chains exploit their market power to prioritise their exorbitant profits, often for their overseas shareholders, crushing our farmers and growers at one end, and ripping off the rest of us at the other.
Only the two big corporate giants – and their shareholders – are winning in this system.
The lack of competition means growers and producers have few options but to accept rock-bottom prices and conditions, risking their commercial viability and stripping the country of farming and horticulture resilience and expertise.
This model is structured to leave people hungry, growers operating on the edge of viability, and competitors unviable, while delivering massive profits to two enormous corporations. The current system is harming our health and our bank balances and is undermining our national food independence.
Our plan will reform the food system to give all of us lower prices, more choice, and greater security.
Our country produces enough food to feed 40 million people. There is no shortage of food in Aotearoa, but it's somehow becoming too expensive for too many New Zealanders.
— Chlöe Swarbrick
Our Solution
Break up the duopoly and create competition with KiwiMart
Require Woolworths and Foodstuffs to divest at least 120 stores and distribution centre capacity into public ownership.
Create KiwiMart, a publicly owned supermarket chain with a single mandate - keep prices down.
Protect people from unfair pricing in supermarkets and other sectors
Immediately ban excessive supermarket prices.
Require supermarkets to be transparent about their price margins.
Extend the ban on price gouging to other uncompetitive sectors, including energy and fuel.
Empower the Commerce Commission to enforce the rules
Introduce a mandatory supermarket pricing accuracy code, including automatic compensation requirements when shoppers are overcharged.
Increase funding for the Commerce Commission, increase fines, and empower the Commission to issue binding directions.
Empower the Commerce Commission to regulate loyalty schemes and store brands, strengthen rules on incorrect pricing, and give consumers control over their shopping data.
Create a National Food Strategy for the whole food system
Introduce a National Food Strategy in collaboration with producers, distributors, public health experts, Māori, and the community food sector.
Prioritise local food in public procurement.
Ensure that food regulations are proportionate to scale.
Establish a legislative right to adequate and nutritious food.
Require large food distributors to reduce or donate surplus food.
Support community food security so no one goes hungry
Establish a $150m Fair Food Fund to expand community-led food security initiatives.
Increase funding for food banks from $8m to $25m and double the cap on food grants from Work and Income.
Provide better lunches for more children through Ka Ora, Ka Ako
Restore the Ka Ora, Ka Ako programme so nutritious lunches are provided through schools and local providers.
Fund the programme permanently to provide certainty for schools, whānau and local providers.
Expand the programme to around 400 more schools, ensuring 150,000 more children enjoy a nutritious lunch every day.
TELL US YOUR THOUGHTS
Do you know how expensive your groceries are?
Food should be affordable for everyone. But do you know how much grocery staples have gone up in the last 10 years?
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