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.
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.