Blowback from a business advocate on National's plan to break up Foodstuffs.  

If elected, and if the Commerce Commission agrees, the party would separate Pak'nSave from New World and Four Square to create more competition. 

But Foodstuffs warns there'd be significant implications and would affect more than 500 locally owned and operated stores. 

Business NZ Director of Advocacy Catherine Beard told Ryan Bridge threatening to split up private property is hugely alarming.  

She says it sends a terrible signal to overseas investors – that the government could essentially take away business. 

Beard also says there's a lack of evidence to suggest our food is more expensive than other countries. 

She told Bridge that while food prices have gone up, they're no higher than Australia and the UK. 

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