This is edition 2026/070 of the Ten@10 newsletter.
Hi all,
This is the Ten@10, where I collate and summarise ten news items you generally won't see in the mainstream media.
Enjoy!
1. The Devil in the detail of NZ First's supermarket reform
Bryce Edwards
- 🛒 Winston Peters' supermarket plan: NZ First aims to split Foodstuffs into two cooperatives (New World & Four Square vs Pak'n Save) to foster competition with Woolworths, addressing public dissatisfaction with grocery prices.
- 💰 Support for reform: Consumer NZ and experts like Tim Hazledine back the idea, noting that past efforts have failed to challenge the supermarket duopoly.
- 🏪 The Woolworths issue: The policy fails to address Woolworths, leaving half the duopoly untouched, which limits true competition.
- 🔄 Distribution monopoly: The proposal ignores the distribution centre monopoly, which impacts the ability of new competitors to enter the market.
- 🔍 The wrong split: The brand-based split might not create true competition; experts suggest a regional split between North and South Island supermarkets might work better.
- 🚫 Lack of details: The proposal lacks specifics on wholesale reform, crucial for a genuine competitive market.
