Posted on 22-1-2003
Stop
The Box
Government must place a moratorium on big box retail developments
to
prevent more damage to small businesses and communities, environmental
planning group Envision New Zealand said today.
The group was set up last year to help communities understand
the impact of
mega stores and big box retail phenomena. Envision NZ spokesman
Warren Snow
has written to Prime Minister Helen Clark and key Cabinet members
calling
for a moratorium and a multi-party seminar on the issue. Mr
Snow said New
Zealand needed to halt construction of Big Box and Mega retail
stores and
centres until their effects on town centres and communities
in New Zealand
had been measured.
He visited 10 New Zealand towns and cities late last year and
met with
groups fighting the construction of mega retail developments
in their
communities. ``I feel there is huge concern at the impact on
local
economies and community values through these stores and centres
killing
town centres and small retailers and businesses. ``Other countries
like
Norway, Thailand and the UK are starting to impose limits on
big box
retail. Its a worldwide issue thats hot right now. Poland
has also acted
by giving power to local authorities to govern the growth of
Big Box chain
stores. ``I see it as a conservation issue -- no less than saving
whales
and the rainforest or the kiwi. Big business has always had
to have limits
imposed on it in order for us to conserve the worlds resources
and species.
Mr Snow said the same applied to town centres many of which
are dying and
big business was not prepared to impose its own limits. `I'm
not against
chain stores in every town. The old chains like McKenzies and
even
Woolworths were able to coexist but the scale of these new mega
stores and
centres is beyond what communities can stand. ``Their power
and control
over the whole supply chain, is squeezing ``the little guy right
out.
One store can take in around $1 billion over 20 years. There
is no
community that can stand that sort of impact. ``It's no longer
fair
competition and it is killing good businesses, jobs and even
local
leadership all over New Zealand. The real cost of ever cheaper
goods is
becoming too high. ``We need to have a five year moratorium
as they have in
Sweden while we ascertain what size stores are sustainable for
various size
communities. Then we can set appropriate limits. Mr Snow said.
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