Cautious optimism from supermarket owner over price gouging bill

A Christchurch independent supermarket owner says a proposal to ban supermarket price gouging is positive - but more needs to be done.

The member's bill, recently submitted by Ricardo Menéndez March, could give the courts powers to decide if a supermarket had breached price gouging bans, set by the Commerce Commission.

It follows moves from the Government to crack down on anti-competitive behaviour in the grocery sector in recent years.

However, a Christchurch supermarket owner, Ethan Vickery, has raised questions about how effective the new proposal would be in solving the issue.

KaiCo co-owner Ethan Vickery welcomed the bill, saying it was one of many changes that need to happen.

KaiCo is one of four independent supermarkets that opened in Canterbury over the last financial year.

However, Vickery believed the bill would not solve what he saw as the most pressing issue in his industry, competition.

"We'd like to see more competition, do I think this bill will solve that? Probably not, but it won't hurt."

"Instead of price [...] it's things like toys, and Smeg knife sets and everything. They're sort of gamifying food in a cost-of-living crisis."

He did not believe the bill would affect his company's future expansion.

"I don't see any of these affecting us that much. We don't price gouge anyways."

The Bill has not yet been drawn for a first reading.

Foodstuffs South Island did not respond to a request for comment.

In a statement, a Woolworths spokesperson said it was aware of the bill, but did not answer any questions about it.

"We also take great care to invest in innovation, supply chain and new stores across New Zealand to promote economic growth, including our new $25m store at Flaxmere which opened in May."