Supermarket giant Countdown says it is "not surprised" to see its competitor's move to launch a new Auckland chain. Chris Quin, Foodstuffs North Island chief executive, said last week the new small-format chain concept was also partly due to rising real estate prices. One supermarket specialist who did not want to be named said: "New Zealand's supermarket war is primarily about market share. The chain that puts down the most stores over time, in the most convenient locations, will gain market share at the expense of the other chain. "Countdown has been vastly out-spending Foodstuffs and has shifted market share to almost parity now.

Source: New Zealand Herald July 05, 2017 02:15 UTC