NZ supermarket regulation: a timeline
Correct as at 9 November 2026. We will add the official election result (due 27 November 2026) and any coalition agreement.
From the 2022 market study to the Grocery Industry Competition Act, the Supply Code, the blocked Foodstuffs merger, Gilmours and Trents, and the 2026 election promises.
What this guide covers
In 2022 the Commerce Commission found competition was not working well for grocery shoppers. Parliament passed the Grocery Industry Competition Act in June 2023. It brought a Grocery Supply Code, a Grocery Commissioner and wholesale access rules. The Commission blocked a Foodstuffs merger in 2024 and closed its wholesale inquiry in July 2026. At the 2026 election several parties promised bigger changes. None of those is law yet.
2022 to 2026: the law and the regulator
What happened, as at 9 November 2026
Date: 8 March 2022. What happened: The Commerce Commission's market study final report found "competition is not working well for consumers in the retail grocery sector" [1][2]. It estimated the big groups' profits would be about $430 million a year lower if their returns were at a normal level [3, paragraph 3.54].. Status: Report
Date: 21 June 2023. What happened: Parliament passed the Grocery Industry Competition Bill at its third reading [4].. Status: Law passed
Date: 26 June 2023. What happened: The Grocery Industry Competition Act 2023 received royal assent [5]. Most of it, including the wholesale access rules, applied from July 2023 [6].. Status: Law
Date: 13 July 2023. What happened: Pierre van Heerden started as Grocery Commissioner, for a term to 11 July 2028 [7][8].. Status: Appointment
Date: 31 August 2023. What happened: Unit pricing rules for groceries came into force. Stores had to show unit prices from 31 August 2024, and online shops from 31 August 2025 [9].. Status: Law
Date: 28 September 2023. What happened: The first Grocery Supply Code came into force [10].. Status: Law
Date: 18 December 2023. What happened: The Commission announced it had received the Foodstuffs co-ops' application to merge [11].. Status: Application
Date: 4 September 2024. What happened: The Commission began its wholesale supply inquiry [12].. Status: Inquiry
Date: 1 October 2024. What happened: The Commission declined clearance for the Foodstuffs merger [13].. Status: Decision
Date: 5 June 2025. What happened: The Commission's preliminary wholesale findings said the regime was not having a material impact [12][14].. Status: Inquiry
Date: 2 March 2026. What happened: The Foodstuffs co-ops' court challenge to the merger decision began [15]. We found no published ruling as at 9 November 2026.. Status: In court
Date: 26 March 2026. What happened: A government bill to restructure the Commerce Commission had its first reading. It would phase out the Grocery Commissioner role from 1 July 2027; the current holder would stay on as a specialist commissioner for groceries until his term ends. The select committee reported back on 27 July 2026 [16].. Status: Bill, not law
Date: 1 May 2026. What happened: The revised Grocery Supply Code 2025 came into force. It applies to all supply agreements, old ones too [10].. Status: Law
Date: 2 June 2026. What happened: The Commission's Annual Grocery Report 2025: the three big groups held 82% of the national market [17, printed pages 19 to 20].. Status: Report
Date: 7 July 2026. What happened: The Commission closed the wholesale inquiry without recommending new rules "at this stage" [6].. Status: Decision
Date: August 2026. What happened: Foodstuffs North Island bought Trents from Foodstuffs South Island, putting Gilmours and Trents under one owner, the NZ Herald reported on 15 September [18].. Status: Done (reported)
2026: the election promises
Party supermarket policies, in the order announced
Date: 19 April 2026. What happened: NZ First promised to split Foodstuffs into two nationwide co-ops by law [19].. Status: Promise
Date: September 2026. What happened: The Green Party released its KiwiMart plan: a public chain of at least 120 stores, $2.8 billion [20].. Status: Promise
Date: 16 September 2026. What happened: National promised to split Foodstuffs by brand if the Commission agrees after a six-month test [21]. The same day, the government released its Sense Partners cost-benefit study [22].. Status: Promise; study
Date: 20 September 2026. What happened: Labour promised to separate the big groups' wholesale arms, with fair terms for independent grocers [23].. Status: Promise
Date: 21 September 2026. What happened: Te Pāti Māori promised $100 million for Māori-owned supermarket chains [24].. Status: Promise
Date: 28 September 2026. What happened: ACT promised faster consents for new supermarkets and opposed break-ups [25].. Status: Promise
Date: 7 November 2026. What happened: New Zealand voted. Official results are due on 27 November 2026 [26].. Status: Waiting
The Opportunity Party's bottom line, giving the Commission power to force break-ups, is on an undated page [27], so it is not in the dated list.
What comes next
As at 9 November 2026
Official election results on 27 November 2026, then coalition talks.
A High Court ruling on the Foodstuffs merger appeal, when it is published.
The Commission's cartel case against Foodstuffs North Island and Gilmours Wholesale, with a trial expected in February 2027 [17, printed page 2].
General information, not legal, financial or investment advice. Check your own situation with a lawyer, accountant or the Commerce Commission.
The steps
Read the timeline from the top.
Check each row's status: law, decision, or promise.
Open the source for the official wording.
Sources, checked 9 November 2026
[1] Commerce Commission, Market study into the retail grocery sector (project page), final report 8 March 2022: https://www.comcom.govt.nz/regulated-industries/projects/market-study-into-retail-grocery-sector
[2] RNZ, Foodstuffs and Countdown dominate market but Commerce Commission stops short of radical shake-up, 8 March 2022: https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/business/462908/foodstuffs-and-countdown-dominate-market-but-commerce-commission-stops-short-of-radical-shake-up
[3] Commerce Commission, Market study into the retail grocery sector: final report (PDF), 8 March 2022: https://www.comcom.govt.nz/__data/assets/pdf_file/0024/278403/Market-Study-into-the-retail-grocery-sector-Final-report-8-March-2022.pdf
[4] RNZ, Bill tackling supermarket duopoly to become law, 21 June 2023: https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/thehouse/556138/bill-tackling-supermarket-duopoly-to-become-law
[5] New Zealand Legislation, Grocery Industry Competition Act 2023, assent 26 June 2023: https://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2023/0031/latest/whole.html
[6] Commerce Commission, Wholesale Supply Inquiry Closure Report (PDF), 7 July 2026: https://www.comcom.govt.nz/assets/Documents/wholesale-supply-inquiry2/Wholesale-Supply-Inquiry-Closure-Report-7-July-2026.pdf
[7] New Zealand Gazette, appointment of the Grocery Commissioner, 12 July 2023: https://gazette.govt.nz/notice/id/2023-go3127
[8] Commerce Commission, Commission welcomes the appointment of the Grocery Commissioner Pierre van Heerden, 11 July 2023: https://www.comcom.govt.nz/news-and-media/news-and-events/2023/commerce-commission-welcomes-the-appointment-of-the-grocery-commissioner-pierre-van-heerden/
[9] New Zealand Legislation, Consumer Information Standards (Unit Pricing for Grocery Products) Regulations 2023, checked 9 November 2026: https://www.legislation.govt.nz/regulation/public/2023/0185/latest/whole.html
[10] Commerce Commission, Grocery Supply Code page, checked 8 November 2026: https://www.comcom.govt.nz/regulated-industries/grocery/grocery-supply-code/
[11] Commerce Commission, Foodstuffs North Island and Foodstuffs South Island seek clearance to merge, 18 December 2023: https://comcom.govt.nz/news-and-media/media-releases/2023/foodstuffs-north-island-and-foodstuffs-south-island-seek-clearance-to-merge
[12] Commerce Commission, Wholesale supply inquiry page, checked 9 November 2026: https://www.comcom.govt.nz/regulated-industries/grocery/wholesale-supply-inquiry/
[13] Commerce Commission, Commerce Commission declines clearance for the proposed Foodstuffs merger, 1 October 2024: https://comcom.govt.nz/news-and-media/media-releases/2024/commerce-commission-declines-clearance-for-the-proposed-foodstuffs-merger
[14] RNZ, Commerce Commission wants more rules for big supermarket players, 5 June 2025: https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/top/563106/commerce-commission-wants-more-rules-for-big-supermarket-players
[15] Inside Retail NZ, Foodstuffs' court challenge of ComCom's merger decision begins, 2 March 2026: https://insideretail.co.nz/2026/03/02/foodstuffs-court-challenge-of-comcoms-merger-decision-begins/
[16] New Zealand Legislation, Commerce (Commerce Commission Reform) Amendment Bill (as reported from select committee), checked 9 November 2026: https://www.legislation.govt.nz/bill/government/2026/250/en/latest/
[17] Commerce Commission, Annual Grocery Report 2025 (PDF), published 2 June 2026: https://www.comcom.govt.nz/assets/Uploads/Annual-Grocery-Report-2025-2-June-2026.pdf
[18] NZ Herald, Foodstuffs combines Gilmours and Trents wholesale businesses despite Commerce Commission blocking merger of parents (Kate MacNamara), 15 September 2026: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/companies/retail/foodstuffs-combines-gilmours-and-trents-wholesale-businesses-despite-merger-block/premium/RSUSCGZ2BJAETKCELXWNTIDNBE/
[19] 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
[20] Green Party, Affordable food for all of us (policy PDF), September 2026: https://www.greens.org.nz/affordable_food_full_policy
[21] National Party, National to pursue separation of Foodstuffs, 16 September 2026: https://www.national.org.nz/news/260916-nicolawillis
[22] MBIE, Supermarket cost benefit analysis June 2026 (Sense Partners, PDF), released 16 September 2026: https://www.mbie.govt.nz/dmsdocument/32518-supermarket-cost-benefit-analysis-june-2026-pdf
[23] 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/
[24] 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
[25] 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/
[26] RNZ, 2026 election results in full (preliminary), 8 November 2026: https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/election-2026-results
[27] Opportunity Party, Our bottom lines for 2026 (page undated), checked 9 November 2026: https://www.opportunity.org.nz/bottom_lines