Foodstuffs and Woolworths NZ hold a duopoly over the sector. The draft report proposes a range of measures to improve competition at the retail and wholesale level, including last-resort options such as a Government backed grocery retailer and requiring supermarkets to sell shops. Dr Anna Casey-Cox, a researcher with Poverty Action Waikato, said the cost of groceries is a major stress for many Waikato households. STUFF The Commerce Commission is looking into how competitive New Zealand's grocery retailers are. Basic staples, such of fruit and vegetables, are now priced out of the reach of some. “When food banks were first set up, they were initially seen as a temporary solution. There was an understanding that they weren’t going to be a lasting thing because eventually we’d get it sorted,” Casey-Cox said.