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Nicola Willis Proposes Breaking Up Foodstuffs Supermarkets

By Drooid · Sep 20, 2026, 2:15 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Willis Proposes Foodstuffs Breakup

National Party MP Nicola Willis proposes breaking up Foodstuffs supermarkets.
Willis targets owner-operator Jason Witehira, who bought Albany Pak’nSave for $50 million.
Internal polling shows 60% of New Zealanders support busting up the chain.
Willis says the breakup could raise household budgets by $3.80 a week after nine years.
She will address tax-bracket creep after the Pre-Election Fiscal update on September 29.

Summary

Eckhold Warns Prices

Economist Cameron Bagrie praised the breakup and urged separating Foodstuffs’ wholesale arm.
Westpac economist Kelly Eckhold warned the split may not curb food price rises, citing NZ’s mid-range OECD rank.
Owner Eric Rush warned rural stores could face higher costs, reducing already thin profit margins.
The 2022 Commerce Commission report claimed supermarkets earn NZ$1 million excess profit daily, a figure the co-op called theoretical.

History

Historical Context

Modern NZ scrutiny of Foodstuffs echoes Britain’s shift to formal competition law after the 1998 Competition Act, which aligned UK rules with EU policy and empowered the Competition and Markets Authority—created in 2013—to impose fines of up to 10 % of a firm’s global turnover. The earlier US Sherman Act of 1890 similarly introduced antitrust enforcement, shaping today’s global approach.

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Willis Proposes Foodstuffs Breakup

National Party MP Nicola Willis proposes breaking up Foodstuffs supermarkets.
Willis targets owner-operator Jason Witehira, who bought Albany Pak’nSave for $50 million.
Internal polling shows 60% of New Zealanders support busting up the chain.
Willis says the breakup could raise household budgets by $3.80 a week after nine years.
She will address tax-bracket creep after the Pre-Election Fiscal update on September 29.

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