Supermarket competition and KiwiMart policies

The story so far

The Green Party has proposed a state-owned supermarket chain called KiwiMart to challenge the current grocery duopoly, which would involve buying 120 stores and two distribution centres from Woolworths and Foodstuffs.^{6 Sep} Estimates of the policy's cost vary, with one report citing $2.8 billion and another saying it would cost over $6 billion over four years.^{6 Sep} Two Kāpiti entrepreneurs say they came up with the KiwiMart name before the Greens announced their plan, and a business has applied to trademark the name, which could lead to a legal dispute over the branding.^{16 Sep} Te Pāti Māori has unveiled a kai sovereignty policy aimed at food costs and Māori ownership of food production, including a tax credit for those earning $60,000 or less and funding for Māori-owned supermarkets and community food initiatives.^{21 Sep} The ACT Party has proposed a single consenting pathway to cut red tape for new supermarkets, with leader David Seymour seeking faster building and liquor licensing approvals to encourage competition, and possibly changes to food labelling laws.^{28 Sep}

Latest

ACT's proposal to streamline approvals for new supermarkets is the most recent development in the coverage.^{28 Sep} The policy debate now includes competing approaches from the Greens, Te Pāti Māori and ACT to grocery competition and prices.^{6, 21, 28 Sep}

Key moments

1. 6 SepGreens propose state-owned KiwiMart, buying 120 stores from Woolworths and Foodstuffs.
2. 6 SepCost estimates diverge: $2.8 billion versus over $6 billion over four years.
3. 16 SepKāpiti entrepreneurs claim prior rights to KiwiMart name; trademark application filed.
4. 21 SepTe Pāti Māori launches kai sovereignty policy with tax credit and Māori-owned supermarket funding.
5. 28 SepACT proposes single consenting pathway to attract new supermarkets.

Written from the stories below; each sentence links to its sources.