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EXPLAINED: 2 | Vintage Vibes

The real reason nobody will take on the supermarkets

Local investors, iwi Māori and major global supermarket brands share the view that establishing a third supermarket chain is not commercially viable. The Govt's supermarket divestment review is the last hope.

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Big hardware retailer faces court action for blocking competition

Established building supplies businesses have used restrictive land covenants and other legal ploys to keep competitors like Bunnings and ITM off their turf.

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ComCom recommends action to improve competition in building supplies market

The Commerce Commission says rebates paid by major suppliers to merchants is making it difficult for new or competing products to grow in the building sector

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Big building suppliers paying cash rebates block competition – report

Commerce Commission hopes to shake up Fletcher Building dominance of building supplies.

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Commerce Commission controls on ‘fair’ fuel prices is unfair on climate targets

There are alternatives to price caps that won’t interfere with our climate goals – like a windfall tax on the petroleum industry, writes Prof Timothy Welch.

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Commerce Commission warned as big credit card firms resist crackdown

NZ's biggest payments operator warns the groundbreaking free eftpos network is under threat, and its attempts to set up a contactless digital 'card' have been blocked by outdated rules.

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Carter Holt constrains timber supply for 18 months, despite assurances to Govt

Builders say the supply crisis has eased – now they face a demand crisis that threatens to drive more of them to the wall

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TVNZ/RNZ merger a 'chilling prospect' for some

The planned TVNZ/RNZ merger has been described by one competitor as a ‘chilling prospect’ and a ‘serious threat’ to the rest of New Zealand’s media eco-system

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A trip and a show: Cracking down on the most expensive credit card transaction fees

The Commerce Commission will consider penalising merchants that impose unjustified payment surcharges – and the travel and ticketing industries could be first to face the music.

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Calculating how much supermarket competition reform will save shoppers

A convenience store chain negotiating cut-price grocery wholesale deals says it expects to pay 15 to 20% less than retail prices. And Costco says it will be 30% cheaper.

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Commerce Commission filing court action against big building retailer

Established hardware chains have set in place about 60 restrictive legal covenants on desirable land blocks, preventing new stores from opening in competition.

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Supplier backhanders lock out new building products – Commerce Commission

Draft report says designers, builders and building consent authorities show favouritism to tried and tested local products, at expense of competition and consumers

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Shopping for change: Busting the supermarket duopoly

How did New Zealand end up with just two big supermarket players - and can the government's changes really shake things up?

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Govt could yet force tech giants to pay NZ media

An Australian-style legislative response against global digital platforms to make them pay for media content remains possible as a new minister says too many news firms are hurting

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Is Winstone Wallboards bad or actually really good?

Perhaps we have been too quick to lay the blame for the present plasterboard shortage situation squarely at the feet of our biggest construction and building materials company

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Govt review looks at returning wine and beer to corner stores

Ministers are concerned that a ban on alcohol sales in dairies and convenience stores has unduly impeded other retailers taking on the two big supermarket chains.

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ComCom caps gas pipeline investment

As the Government looks to phase out fossil gas use, the Commerce Commission has tightened allowances for investment in gas infrastructure to avoid stranded assets.

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Govt to crack down on supermarket breaches with big financial penalties

The Warehouse, Night'n'Day and Supie are all looking to enter the groceries fray, after ministers announced they would regulate the two big supermarket chains.

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Govt reveals clampdown on supermarket sector

New Zealand's supermarket duopoly faces a new industry regulator, compulsory unit pricing and a mandatory code of conduct.

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The real counter to the supermarket duopoly would be a strong competitor

The Government has mused about a more proactive response to the lack of competition, including a government-run distribution centre, but that would be foolhardy, argues Peter Dunne

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'Heartbreaking': Grocery start-ups shut down in shadow of big supermarkets

Two new online food brands hailed for bringing range and competition to the grocery market have now closed their doors, unable to grow against the two big supermarket chains

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Overseas Investment sign-off for Aussie fuel giant to purchase Z Energy

Australia's biggest fuel company Ampol is poised to take over local Z Energy and take its place on the NZ sharemarket - as long as it jumps one last High Court hurdle this month

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GIB and the competitive problems of plasterboard

Our GIB monopoly has run into trouble. Are there lessons to be learned?

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ComCom building materials probe simplistic and off the mark, submitters say

The Government hopes a Commerce Commission investigation into building supplies will bring house prices down. But submitters wonder whether the market study is even asking the right quest

The Conversation

Turning supermarkets into public utilities could be the solution to New Zealand's grocery problem

The Commerce Commission’s report into New Zealand’s supermarket sector has been criticised for not going far enough to reduce food prices, but the answer to the current duopoly might lie in treating the sector as a public utility instead of a private industry.

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