It has teeth.
The RNZ article has more information. That leads to the FGC announcement which leads to beehive which links to mbie which finally links to the draft of the CoC: https://www.legislation.govt.nz/regulation/public/2023/0220/latest/LMS880991.html
The CoC is referenced from an act:
In July this year, the Government passed the Grocery Industry Competition Act, the legislation that enables, among other things, the Grocery Code of Conduct and the position of the Grocery Commissioner to be established.
The new measures will force companies to use plain English in supply contracts, to pay suppliers on time, and to deal “in good faith”.
If this is the new code of conduct, that’s entirely reasonable. It almost seems too simple.
Such a good idea, you wonder why they weren’t already doing it.
Because $$$