Every party's supermarket policy, explained
Time-sensitive. Correct as at 9 November 2026. Official election results are due on 27 November 2026, and coalition talks follow [1][2]. We will update this page after 27 November, and again if a coalition agreement or a grocery bill changes any policy.
What each NZ party promised on supermarkets at the 2026 election: KiwiMart, splitting Foodstuffs, wholesale rules and price-gouging bans, with sources.
What this guide covers
Before the 7 November 2026 election, National and NZ First promised to split Foodstuffs into two chains. Labour promised to separate the big groups' wholesale arms and ban price gouging. The Greens promised KiwiMart, a public supermarket chain. ACT opposes break-ups and wants faster consents for new supermarkets. None of these is law yet.
Where things stand
As at 9 November 2026
New Zealand voted on 7 November 2026. Special votes are still being counted. Official results are due on 27 November [1].
National leader Christopher Luxon said formal coalition talks would start once the official results are out [2].
Law today: the Grocery Industry Competition Act 2023 and the Grocery Supply Code 2025, in force since 1 May 2026 [3].
Every policy below is a promise. None has become law.
We list the parties in alphabetical order. We do not back any party or any plan. Merit Mana is a free resource for small businesses, not a campaign.
At a glance
Party supermarket policies, as at 9 November 2026
Party: ACT. Main idea: Faster consents for new supermarkets. Split Foodstuffs?: No, opposes it. Cost stated: None given. Status: Promise
Party: Green. Main idea: KiwiMart, a public chain of at least 120 stores. Split Foodstuffs?: Forced sale of stores. Cost stated: $2.8 billion. Status: Promise
Party: Labour. Main idea: Separate wholesale arms; ban price gouging. Split Foodstuffs?: No forced sale. Cost stated: None given. Status: Promise
Party: National. Main idea: Two nationwide Foodstuffs chains, after a Commission test. Split Foodstuffs?: Yes, if the Commission agrees. Cost stated: $5 million for the Commission. Status: Promise
Party: NZ First. Main idea: Two nationwide Foodstuffs co-ops, by law. Split Foodstuffs?: Yes. Cost stated: None given. Status: Promise
Party: Opportunity. Main idea: Commission power to force break-ups. Split Foodstuffs?: Through the Commission and courts. Cost stated: None given. Status: Promise
Party: Te Pāti Māori. Main idea: Funding for Māori-owned supermarket chains. Split Foodstuffs?: No. Cost stated: $100 million seed funding, in a $3.1 billion package. Status: Promise
Sources for every cell are in the party sections below.
ACT: make it easier to open new supermarkets
What: a one-stop shop so new supermarkets get consents and licences "in months, not years". Fix liquor licence timing. Accept overseas food labels from the UK, EU and US without relabelling [4].
On break-ups: leader David Seymour called break-up proposals "insane" [4].
Cost and dates: none given [4].
Status: promise.
Green Party: KiwiMart, a public supermarket chain
What: Foodstuffs and Woolworths must sell at least 120 stores, and distribution centre capacity, in both islands into a new publicly owned chain called KiwiMart. Its single job is to keep prices down [5].
How: the Commerce Commission picks the stores and sets "fair compensation without merely rewarding them for their dominant market position" [5].
Cost: $1.3 billion to buy 120 stores and two distribution centres, plus $1.5 billion to set up the company. That adds to $2.8 billion [5].
Also: an immediate ban on excessive supermarket prices, margin transparency and a pricing accuracy code [5]. A members' bill to ban supermarket price gouging was announced on 17 August 2026 for the ballot [6]. We found no sign it has been drawn.
Status: promise.
Labour: separate wholesale, ban price gouging
Price gouging: make it illegal for dominant firms to charge excessive prices for essentials, groceries included. The test: prices well above supply costs, or well above what a competitive market would charge. The Commerce Commission would enforce it, and firms would repay what they overcharged [7].
Wholesale: Foodstuffs and Woolworths would run their wholesale arms independently, with a firewall around pricing. They would not have to sell them [8][9].
Independent grocers: a guaranteed right to buy stock from any wholesaler on "fair terms". Small grocers such as Four Square operators would be freed from restraints of trade [8].
When: a law framework within the first 100 days, but only if the policy passes a Commerce Commission review [8].
Cost: none given [7].
Status: promise.
National: split Foodstuffs by brand, if the Commission agrees
What: two nationwide chains: one for New World and Four Square, one for PAK'nSAVE. With Woolworths, that makes three [10].
How: change the grocery law in the first 100 days. The Commerce Commission then has six months to test the plan and recommend. "If the Commission recommends separation, National will legislate to implement it." [10]
Owners: "No owner of a PAK'nSAVE, New World or Four Square will be forced to sell or re-brand their business." [10]
Cost: $5 million for the Commission's work. Nicola Willis expected the law to take up to a year [11].
Numbers National uses: prices about 3.5% lower after one year and about 5% lower after six. Households $200 to $1,320 a year better off. $12.6 billion for shoppers over 20 years [10]. Our guide to the split options shows where these numbers come from and their limits.
Status: promise. National took it to the election rather than to Cabinet [12].
NZ First: split Foodstuffs by law
What: "break up Foodstuffs into two nationwide cooperatives" by law [13].
Penalties: fines of up to $10 million, three times the gain, or 10% of turnover [13].
Test first? the release does not include a Commerce Commission test before the law change [13].
Note: after National's announcement, Winston Peters said National had copied NZ First's policy [14].
Cost and dates: none given.
Status: promise.
The Opportunity Party: power to force break-ups
What: give the Commerce Commission power to "investigate, intervene and force structural separation" of anti-competitive businesses across the economy. It is one of the party's coalition bottom lines [15].
How: legal powers and funding to pursue break-ups through the High Court [16].
Cost: none given.
Status: promise.
Te Pāti Māori: kai sovereignty
What: a $3.1 billion kai sovereignty package. It includes $100 million in seed funding to set up Māori-owned supermarket chains and farming training [17].
Also: a kai tax credit for people earning $60,000 or less [16].
Status: promise.
What happens next
27 November 2026: official election results [1].
Then: coalition talks [2]. Any supermarket change depends on what the governing parties agree.
If a bill is introduced: a select committee usually asks for public submissions. Anyone can make one on the Parliament website.
We will update this page after 27 November.
Check it yourself
Read each party's own words in the sources below. For bills, see the Parliament website. For the current rules, see the Commerce Commission.
Copy this prompt into an AI assistant
Using only supplied text from official party pages and news reports, compare New Zealand supermarket policies. Make columns for each plan, how it works, proposed cost and whether it is law or a promise. Mark missing information as not stated. Do not recommend a party or a preferred plan. List questions to check with the Commerce Commission or Parliament.
General information, not legal, financial or investment advice. Check your own situation with a lawyer, accountant or the Commerce Commission.
The steps
Read the at-a-glance table.
Open the party sections you care about and check the source for each fact.
Come back after 27 November 2026 for the update.
What is KiwiMart?
KiwiMart is the Green Party's plan for a publicly owned supermarket chain, made from at least 120 stores that Foodstuffs and Woolworths would have to sell. The Greens cost it at $2.8 billion. It is a promise, not law.
Which parties want to break up the supermarkets?
National and NZ First promised to split Foodstuffs into two nationwide chains. The Greens would force the sale of 120 stores to a public chain. The Opportunity Party wants the Commerce Commission to have power to force break-ups. ACT opposes break-ups.
Is the Foodstuffs split law?
No. As at 9 November 2026 it is an election promise. No bill has passed.
When will we know what happens?
Official election results are due on 27 November 2026. Coalition talks follow. We will update this page then.
Sources, checked 9 November 2026
[1] RNZ, 2026 election results in full (preliminary), 8 November 2026: https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/election-2026-results
[2] NZ Herald, Luxon softens stance on Opportunity, wants to build relationship with Qiulae Wong, 8 November 2026: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/election-2026-christopher-luxon-softens-stance-on-opportunity-wants-to-build-relationship-with-qiulae-wong/I3UBH5WDOFBBNIKCUAAEAIYY3M/
[3] Commerce Commission, Grocery Supply Code page, checked 8 November 2026: https://www.comcom.govt.nz/regulated-industries/grocery/grocery-supply-code/
[4] 1News, ACT reveals supermarkets policy, decries 'insane' break-up proposals, 28 September 2026: https://www.1news.co.nz/2026/09/28/act-reveals-supermarkets-policy-decries-insane-break-up-proposals/
[5] Green Party, Affordable food for all of us (policy PDF), September 2026: https://www.greens.org.nz/affordable_food_full_policy
[6] Green Party, New bill to ban supermarket price gouging, 17 August 2026: https://www.greens.org.nz/_new_bill_to_ban_supermarket_price_gouging
[7] Labour Party, Banning price gouging (page undated), checked 9 November 2026: https://www.labour.org.nz/banning-price-gouging
[8] 1News, It's breakup season: Labour, National clash on tearing up grocery duopoly, 20 September 2026: https://www.1news.co.nz/2026/09/20/labour-proposes-splitting-foodstuffs-woolworths-from-wholesale-arms/
[9] Inside Retail NZ, Parties have pitched their supermarket fixes. What if we merged the best ideas? (Jonathan Baker, from The Conversation), 24 September 2026: https://insideretail.co.nz/2026/09/24/parties-have-pitched-their-supermarket-fixes-what-if-we-merged-the-best-ideas/
[10] National Party, National to pursue separation of Foodstuffs, 16 September 2026: https://www.national.org.nz/news/260916-nicolawillis
[11] interest.co.nz, Nicola Willis says National will look at breaking up Foodstuffs, 16 September 2026: https://www.interest.co.nz/public-policy/140274/national%E2%80%99s-nicola-willis-says-if-re-elected-government-her-party-will-look
[12] RNZ, National vows to 'pursue' break up of supermarket giant Foodstuffs, 16 September 2026: https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/politics_election-2026/1410766/national-vows-to-pursue-break-up-of-supermarket-giant-foodstuffs
[13] NZ First, NZ First will break up the supermarket duopoly (release via Scoop), 19 April 2026: https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA2604/S00094/nz-first-campaign-policy-announcement-nz-first-will-break-up-the-supermarket-duopoly-bring-food-prices-down-for-kiwis.htm
[14] 1News, National to 'pursue' Pak'nSave and New World break-up, 16 September 2026: https://www.1news.co.nz/2026/09/16/national-to-pursue-paknsave-and-new-world-break-up/
[15] Opportunity Party, Our bottom lines for 2026 (page undated), checked 9 November 2026: https://www.opportunity.org.nz/bottom_lines
[16] Consumer NZ, Election 2026: how the main parties plan to improve the grocery sector, 1 October 2026: https://www.consumer.org.nz/shopping/supermarkets/election-2026-how-the-main-parties-plan-to-improve-the-grocery-sector
[17] RNZ, Te Pāti Māori pledges $3.1 billion plan for 'kai sovereignty' if elected, 21 September 2026: https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/politics_election-2026/1494123/te-pati-maori-pledges-3-point-1-billion-plan-for-kai-sovereignty-if-elected