Dr Oliver Hartwich: The curious case of competition law and Foodstuffs

Imagine a New Zealand where every major company is neatly divided between the North and South Islands. You would fill up at BP North Island or BP South Island, shop at The Warehouse North Island or The Warehouse South Island and get your mobile service from Spark North Island or Spark South Island.

It sounds absurd, does it not? Yet this scenario is not far from the reality facing Foodstuffs, the cooperative running supermarkets like New World and PAK’nSAVE.