Supermarket study haste

Government officials thought the Commerce Commission would need 16 months to complete amarket study into the supermarket industry, before being told by Commerce Minister David Clark to get it done faster. Clark announced in November the study into the $21 billion groceries industry, saying the Government wanted to make sure prices were fair. A briefing to incoming ministers prepared by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment said the study was expected to take at least 16months. That would have meant the commission’s next market study, into the building supplies industry, would not have been able to begin until about June next year. But Clark ordered the commission to complete the supermarket study and finalise any recommendations within 12 months, by November 23.