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Coalition accepts Consumer NZ's 'Price it Right' supermarket petition

In 2024, the Commerce Commission estimated pricing errors were likely costing shoppers tens of millions of dollars a year. (File photo) Photo: supplied Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis has accepted Consumer New Zealand's 'Price It Right' petition for accurate supermarket pricing . The petition, signed by 25,000 people, was presented to Willis on the steps of Parliament this morning. Willis wrote to the major supermarkets in June, warning them against misleading promotional practices and pricing errors. Consumer NZ chief executive John Duffy said supermarkets had had plenty of opportunity to sort it out for themselves. "It's time for the government to step in and make supermarkets price it right, and tens of thousands of New Zealanders agree. "People want clear pricing rules, automatic compensation and stronger penalties when supermarkets get it wrong." In 2024, the Commerce Commission estimated pricing errors were likely costing shoppers tens of millions of dollars a year. "If supermarkets can't get their pricing right, they - rather than shoppers - should face the consequences," Duffy said. Consumer NZ's petition asked the government to introduce a mandatory supermarket pricing accuracy code: "We know that all the problems in the supermarket sector won't be fixed overnight, but new rules like those in our proposed code will help put money back in the pockets of New Zealanders," Duffy said. Willis told RNZ she had received assurances new processes were in place after putting major supermarkets on notice in June. Finance Minister Nicola Willis said the government would hold supermarkets accountable. (File photo) Photo: RNZ "They then wrote back to me and pledged that they are going to have refund policies in place from now on, in the case of Foodstuffs that hadn't previously been the case. "Now, if a pricing error is found, you get your money back and you keep to you get to keep the goods. "They've also pledged that they will advertise these refund policies and they have pledged that they are investing significant sums and better training for their staff and better systems to stop these errors happening in the first place." Willis said they were important commitments and the government would hold major supermarkets accountable to them. "I have been consulting on strengthening the infringement regime in the Fair Trading Act, strengthening penalties and potentially introducing civil proceedings so that it is easier to prosecute supermarkets when they do the wrong thing," she said. "I will consider the submissions on that consultation before taking recommendations to Cabinet." Asked if it was fair the onus was still on consumers to notice price discrepancies, Willis said it wasn't. "I do worry that for every person who's noticed it, there are other New Zealanders who've been ripped off and haven't had the opportunity to get redress. "So that's why we are strengthening our approach in this area, we think it's time that the supermarkets pulled up their socks." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.