The Grocery Industry Competition Act (GICA) establishes a new wholesale supply regime that creates obligations on the regulated grocery retailers (‘RGRs’ - Woolworths NZ, Foodstuffs North Island and Foodstuffs South Island) to set up systems to facilitate wholesale supply to other grocery retailers. This is intended to make it easier for businesses to enter the grocery retailer market and to support the growth of existing grocery retailers.

Regulated grocery retailers must consider requests for wholesale supply from other retailers in good faith. The Commission is monitoring the regulated grocery retailers to ensure that they are making meaningful progress towards providing a reliable, cost-effective wholesale offering.

In determining the need for additional intervention the GICA requires the Commerce Commission to consider whether the retailers wholesale offerings are consistent with wholesale offerings provided in a competitive wholesale market. Regulatory “back stop” provisions have been built into the GICA to facilitate swift action if it is considered that they are needed. Undertaking these assessments and gaining a general understanding of how the sector is functioning are among our main tasks in the first year of the regime.

You can find out more about the wholesale offerings of the regulated grocery retailers on the following web pages:

We encourage suppliers to participate in the wholesale. Retailers seeking wholesale supply from the regulated grocery retailers can raise with the Commission any concerns they have about whether the RGRs are meeting their obligations around wholesale supply under the Act. To get in touch, contact us via grocery.regulation@comcom.govt.nz or submit an anonymous report.

Resolve a dispute

A dispute resolution scheme is being set up to help resolve disputes between wholesale customers and regulated grocery retailers. The scheme is being established by the Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment and is expected to be in place soon.

Submit an anonymous report

We recognise there are situations where someone who has knowledge or specific information about the conduct of a grocery industry participant (e.g., a regulated grocery retailer, supplier, or other retailer) and might be reluctant to report it for fear of negative consequences or reprisals (such as being delisted from a retail store).

The Commerce Commission’s Anonymous Reporting Tool provides a secure channel to be able to report information without disclosing your personal information.

Learn more about our anonymous reporting tool and how to make a complaint