Commerce and Consumer Affairs

Big supermarket chains face stiff fines for not treating small suppliers fairly, thanks to the Labour Government’s new Grocery Code of Conduct.

Parliament has tonight passed the final leg of reforms to make sure New Zealanders have safe, reliable and affordable drinking water.

Increased protections for consumers using Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) credit contracts have been announced by Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Dr Duncan Webb.

Kiwis will find it easier to compare product prices at the supermarket, with new regulations due to come into force at the end of August.

Pierre van Heerden has been appointed as the first Grocery Commissioner, in the latest move to improve competition in the sector, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Duncan Webb announced today.

Big supermarkets are being stopped from locking competitors out of prime locations, with restrictions having been removed from more than 140 pieces of land following Government action, Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs Duncan Webb says.

Cabinet has agreed to a market study into competition in the banking sector for personal banking services to ensure the market is working well for New Zealanders.

Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Dr Duncan Webb has today announced the appointment of Anne Callinan as the new Deputy Chair at the Commerce Commission.

The Government will build on its measures to improve competition and transparency around building materials, with its response to the Commerce Commission’s market study into Residential Building Supplies published today.

The Government is proposing new unit pricing measures that will help Kiwis make informed decisions at the checkout and improve competition at the supermarket.

The Government has announced that changes to the Credit Contracts and Consumer Finance Act (CCCFA) will come into force in May, improving safe access to credit for Kiwis.

People whose homes have been damaged by a natural disaster – like Cyclone Gabrielle and the recent floods across various parts of the North Island - will now have access to a new service to assist and support them if their insurance claims get stuck.

The Government is making it easier for people in financial difficulty as a result of the catastrophic flooding to get temporary credit.

The Government is putting in place rules that will make it easier for consumers to compare the price of grocery products at the supermarket.

The Water Services Economic Efficiency and Consumer Protection Bill and Water Services Legislation Bill have been introduced to Parliament today, following the passage of the Water Services Entities Act.

The Government will take action to increase competition in the residential building supplies sector following the release of the Commerce Commission’s market study final report.

Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Dr David Clark has today announced the appointment of Dr John Small as the new Chair of the Commerce Commission.

The Bill to trigger an unprecedented shake-up of the grocery sector and deliver New Zealanders a fairer deal at the checkout and help tackle cost of living pressures is ready for its first reading at Parliament.

The Government has announced moves to increase bank competition and deliver a better deal for New Zealanders with the introduction of open banking.

Better checks to stop vulnerable consumers landing themselves in Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) debt traps are on the way, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Dr David Clark announced today.

An unprecedented shake-up of the grocery sector will see the supermarket duopoly forced to sell groceries to their competitors at set prices and terms if they fail to adequately wholesale market voluntarily.

New Zealanders are not getting a fair deal on some key residential building supplies and while the Government has already driven improvements in the sector, a Commerce Commission review finds that changes are needed to make it more competitive.

The Government is clarifying the Credit Contracts and Consumer Finance (CCCFA) Regulations, to ensure borrow-ready kiwis aren’t being unfairly penalised when applying for a loan.

Four appointments have been made to the Consumer Advocacy Council, Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs announced today.