12 May 2023

Westpac report calls for break-up of supermarket duopoly

From Morning Report, 7:40 am on 12 May 2023

A just-released Westpac report is calling for New Zealand's supermarket duopoly to be broken up.

A view of the Westpac bank headquarters in Sydney, May 2018.

Photo: AFP

Grocery prices soared 12.5 percent in the year ended April, with fruit and vegetables up more than 22 percent over the period.

It's the biggest increase in food prices in 36 years.

The Government will soon enact the Grocery Competition Bill which aims to reduce prices through greater competition.

But the report doubts this will work and says more drastic action is called for.

Westpac Industry Economist, Paul Clark, spoke to Corin Dann.