Reena das Nair
University of Johannesburg
Dr Reena das Nair is a Senior Researcher at the Centre for Competition, Regulation and Economic Development (CCRED) and Programme Coordinator and Senior Lecturer in the Master of Commerce in Competition and Economic Regulation programme at the University of Johannesburg, South Africa.
Reena has worked for specialist economic consultancy Acacia Economics offering expertise in competition and regulatory economics. Prior to joining CCRED, Reena was Programme Manager: Industrial Policy at Trade and Industrial Policy Strategies (TIPS), a not-for-profit research organisation undertaking research for policy makers. Before TIPS, she worked as Principal Economist at the Competition Commission of South Africa. She has extensive experience in undertaking investigations and economic analysis in mergers, abuse of dominance and cartel cases.
Reena holds a PhD (Economics) from the University of Johannesburg and a MCom (Economics) from the University of the Witwatersrand. She has published widely, including in the International Review of Applied Economics, Development Southern Africa and the Journal of Energy in Southern Africa, and has authored and co-authored chapters in Edward Elgar Publishing, HSRC Press, Wits University Press and Jacana Media book publications. Reena also provides training and capacity building for regulators and competition law and economics professionals in Southern and East Africa. Her areas of research interest include competition dynamics in the grocery retail sector, food value chains and regional value chains, with a focus on barriers to entry for small and medium-sized and women-owned enterprises, and alternative routes to market in food systems.
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Reena has worked for specialist economic consultancy Acacia Economics offering expertise in competition and regulatory economics. Prior to joining CCRED, Reena was Programme Manager: Industrial Policy at Trade and Industrial Policy Strategies (TIPS), a not-for-profit research organisation undertaking research for policy makers. Before TIPS, she worked as Principal Economist at the Competition Commission of South Africa. She has extensive experience in undertaking investigations and economic analysis in mergers, abuse of dominance and cartel cases.
Reena holds a PhD (Economics) from the University of Johannesburg and a MCom (Economics) from the University of the Witwatersrand. She has published widely, including in the International Review of Applied Economics, Development Southern Africa and the Journal of Energy in Southern Africa, and has authored and co-authored chapters in Edward Elgar Publishing, HSRC Press, Wits University Press and Jacana Media book publications. Reena also provides training and capacity building for regulators and competition law and economics professionals in Southern and East Africa. Her areas of research interest include competition dynamics in the grocery retail sector, food value chains and regional value chains, with a focus on barriers to entry for small and medium-sized and women-owned enterprises, and alternative routes to market in food systems.
The role of supermarket chains in developing food, other fast-moving consumer goods and consumer goods suppliers in regional markets.
Supermarkets are strong catalysts to stimulate the growth and development of producers and suppliers of processed food and manufactured products in Southern Africa. This paper assesses the role of supermarkets and governments in developing supplier capabilities through supplier development programmes. In South Africa, a shift is evident in recent approaches by supermarkets away from mere compliance as part of black economic empowerment or social responsibility objectives, to more mutually beneficial, commercially oriented and long-term investments to develop supplier capabilities. There is still considerable scope to replicate, broaden and deepen these programmes, including extending them to the region. The paper draws lessons from the Namibian Retail Sector Charter of 2016 as the first and only sector-wide intervention in the region that combines a voluntary code of conduct and supplier development commitments. The paper further highlights interventions internationally through codes of conduct as a useful way to reduce possible abuses of supermarket buyer power.
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New approaches to supermarket supplier development programmes in Southern Africa
Supermarkets are strong catalysts to stimulate the growth and development of suppliers of processed food and manufactured products in Southern Africa. This paper assesses the role of supermarkets and governments in developing supplier capabilities through supplier development programmes. In South Africa, a shift is evident in supplier development programmes by supermarkets away from mere compliance as part of black economic empowerment or social responsibility objectives, to more mutually beneficial, commercially oriented and long-term investments. There is still considerable scope to replicate, broaden and deepen these programmes, including extending them to the region. The paper draws lessons from the Namibian Retail Sector Charter as the first and only sector-wide intervention in the region that combines a voluntary code of conduct and supplier development commitments, with complementary support from the government. The paper also highlights interventions in South Africa and internationally on efforts to curb supermarket buyer power which negatively affects suppliers.
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Making agricultural value chains more inclusive through technology and innovation
Some entry barriers in agricultural and agro-processing value chains, particularly for smallholder farmers and small/medium-sized processors, can be overcome with innovation and technology adoption. Technologies and innovation in these sectors have been both radical and incremental, ranging widely through biotechnology; production technologies; automation in sorting, grading, and packaging; and digital platforms and data-connected devices for market access. These technologies have enabled farmers in Africa to increase productivity and quality; reduce costs; meet standards; improve access to finance, markets, and information; and facilitate payments. We evaluate the role of technology in South African fresh fruit and selected processed food value chains in facilitating inclusive participation, while highlighting potential adverse effects for certain players. Recommendations for addressing the challenges and building capabilities to adopt new technologies are provided, emphasizing the role for public–private partnerships and an enabling regulatory environment.
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The “supermarket revolution” in the South
This chapter evaluates the extent of 'supermarketisation' and internationalisation of supermarket chains and the implications on consumers, suppliers and the competitive landscape. While the degree of both supermarketisation and internationalisation has not been to the extent that was predicted in the early 2000s, there are nonetheless important implications of the conduct of large supermarket chains with market power and their positions as lead firms that shape supplier development in many value chains. Supermarket chains provide an important route to market for processed foods and household consumable products and can be a strong catalyst to stimulate food processing and light manufacturing industries in the region. However, the chapter highlights that the onerous requirements and the exertion of buyer power by supermarkets evidenced in the region limits this potential, especially for small and medium-size suppliers with limited capacity and no countervailing power.
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