The spiralling cost of groceries will take centre stage at a meeting this week.
Representatives from the country's main supermarkets will meet with government officials on Wednesday.
The government can introduce price caps on products to stop the hikes if it wants to.
But Junior Minister Neale Richmond doesn't want to resort to that.
"Rather than going straight to the Draconian legislative powers that are open to the government, we need to have this open discussion to identify genuine concerns and genuine reasons.
"Fundamentally we want to see supermarkets reducing prices for consumers a lot quicker than they have been."
