Set WA retail trading hours free: report

The nation's biggest review of competition policy in more than 20 years has thrown a spotlight on restrictive regimes in Western Australia.

A review panel led by economist Ian Harper released its report on Tuesday, delivering 56 recommendations for government consideration.

One of them was to remove all remaining restrictions on trading hours as soon as possible, with the panel noting Western Australia, South Australia and Queensland still have significant limitations.

Master Grocers Association chief executive Jos De Bruin said trading hours in WA were "definitely a concern".

But limitations should be lifted progressively, not suddenly, to give small retailers time to adjust, he said.

"We see the deregulation of trading hours at this time as handing over more business to Coles and Woolworths, and I don't believe that's what consumers want - that's what Coles and Woolworths want," Mr De Bruin told reporters in Perth.

"Big business is just trying to grab any business that's out there at the cost of small business.

"You might say that's competition but we say it is quite unfair, given their market share, their market dominance and, at times, their misuse of market power."

The panel also said it "strongly" supported moves towards bringing WA and the Northern Territory into the National Electricity Market - which WA treasurer Mike Nahan last week ruled out.

The panel even noted WA was the only state to restrict the sale of fresh potatoes, a legacy from national security regulations imposed during WWII.

Australian Competition and Consumer Commission chairman Rod Sims said the spud rules seemed anachronistic.