National has made a supermarket break-up a key part of its election pitch, proposing to sever Pak’nSave from New World in a bid to drive down grocery prices.
National’s plan would turn the company into supermarket chains: Pak’nSave, New World/Four Square and Woolworths.
The breakup, however, would be contingent on a six-month review by the Commerce Commission into whether the split would leave shoppers better off.
This is straight up disingenuine.
Yeah, right. They’ve been happy for the problem to exist for decades.
Would they have done this if the Greens hadn’t moved the overton window?
As per my other comment I’m not that convinced that breaking up the cooperative is the right move. How about forcing Woolworths to separate their supply, distribution, and retail operations into separate companies? At least Foodstuffs profits go back to local store owners where Woolworths is just some multinational corporation.
But you’re right, I don’t think we would be here without the last decade or two of investigations and complaints about the duopoly, with much of that pushed by the Greens.
Ah I hadn’t twigged that they choose a cooperative instead of a multinational. Of course.
I know Foodstuffs operate more stores than Woolworths, and splitting along the existing brand lines is easier, but it still feels wrong to take the cooperative, owned by the franchisees, where the profits go back to the local store owners, and break it up. While some giant Australian company that owns everything from the supply and distribution through to the dirt under it’s stores is left untouched.
