12 March 2026 Yesterday's news that Watties is poised to close several New Zealand food processing factories with the loss of 350 jobs evoked two emotions from me in quick succession - nostalgia, then anger. Nostalgia, because I had a lot to do with Watties professionally early in my career - late 1970s and early 80s. I worked for the organisation representing Watties' growers - the Process Division of the NZ Vegetable and Produce Growers Federation ("Vegfed"). Like many pri

2 March 2026   Today Foodstuffs are pursuing once again their desperate fixation on being allowed to merge their North Island and South Island businesses. The Commerce Commission wisely rejected this, so now they are trying the High Court. Foodstuffs North Island chief executive Chris Quin claims a merger would create efficiencies that would mean cheaper groceries for consumers. Yeah right – just like the creeping consolidation of their businesses from 4 to 3 to 2 entities. A

For those who don't have a premium subscription to ThePost and Stuff, here's an opinion piece of mine that they published earlier this week. 21 February 2026 by Ernie Newman “I am considering a possible structural separation of existing entities in the New Zealand grocery sector.” “I have commissioned specialist external advice on ways in which the existing supermarket duopoly could be restructured to improve competition, including advice on options for de-merger of existing

“You’ve just witnessed a crime. This could mean jail time.” That’s a quote from a catchy little video clip recently posted on the Commerce Commission Web site. It shows two real estate agents having coffee and agreeing to split their territory. “I’ll keep to the north of the main road and you keep to the south.” But it begs a massive question. If that applies to small real estate agents, surely it applies even more to a pair of the country’s biggest businesses? I’m talking ab

A let-down! That’s my reaction this morning after attending the announcement of a review of the Commerce Act, at the Wellington Chamber...

Nicola Willis’s announcement of an express lane for supermarkets has some positive features but is arguably fixing the wrong problem. New...

Foodstuffs North Island’s appointment of Stephen Joyce to its board is the best news I’ve heard for beleaguered grocery consumers for a...

15 July 2025 . Hallelujah! Its only a couple of weeks since I criticized the Commerce Commission’s action in “warning” Foodstuffs North...

The Grocery Commissioner’s slapping of a warning against Foodstuffs North Island for what can only be described as contemptuous treatment...

The Regulatory Standards Bill is a reprehensible attack on ordinary Kiwi citizens, setting out to entrench property rights -...