Buy NZ Made hits out at Australian supermarket stance

Buy NZ Made has labelled the Buy Australia campaign by that country’s supermarket duopoly as “aggressive”.

The campaign by Australian supermarkets Coles and Woolworths has seen New Zealand produced goods stripped off supermarket shelves across the Tasman.

The supermarkets' initiative was first reported by NBR PRINT on December 13 and then again on January 24.

Big Australian supermarkets Coles and Woolworths are systematically removing New Zealand produced goods from their “house brand” labels simply for being non-Australian.

Frozen foods, cheese and fresh vegetables are among the products affected.

“The Buy NZ Made campaign is about celebrating the excellence of New Zealand products,” Buy NZ Made’s PR and marketing executive Scott Willson says.

“We have no intention of taking a protectionist stance by suggesting that people avoid products that aren’t New Zealand made.

“Consumers can buy things that aren’t made here if they wish. What we do promote is that we make a lot of great products in New Zealand, our business people are world-class and we should be very proud of that.

“It’s therefore disappointing to see the Buy Australia campaign using such aggressive tactics against our producers”.

Buy NZ Made is a non-government run organisation that promotes and supports the manufacturing, exporting and retailing of New Zealand made goods.

Buy NZ Made member businesses are directly impacted by the Australian supermarket stance.

It is estimated that the Australian campaign could potentially cost this country over $700 million in exports and be in breach of competition laws as well as the Closer Economic Relations (CER) treaty.

“The actions of Coles and Woolworths to shut out New Zealand producers from a very large section of the Australian retail market is anti-competitive and most likely in breach of Australian competition law,” Australian commercial lawyer Ian Robertson told NBR PRINT recently.

The two supermarket companies control about 80% of Australia’s retail market, giving rise to the question of misuse of market power.