Insights

The Harper Review’s Draft Report on reviewing Australia’s competition policy has recommended changes to section 46 governing the misuse of market power by focusing on protecting competition and not competitors, which would restrict the ability of major companies such as Coles and Woolworths to force out smaller competitors if their business decisions had the ‘effect’

With vertically integrated Coles and Woolworths set for another huge supermarket capacity expansion, price and promotional war, the losers will be Australia’s grocery and fresh food suppliers and independent retailers as the two supermarket giants increase their stranglehold on the industry. This comes against a backdrop of the voluntary Food and Grocery Code of Conduct,

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission instituted proceedings in the Federal Court of Australia on 17 September against Woolworths Ltd (Woolworths) alleging that Woolworths made false or misleading representations about the safety of certain Woolworths products. It is also alleged that Woolworths failed to file mandatory reports as required by the Australian Consumer Law once

The Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC) believes the new Grocery Code will have “real teeth” and is slightly different to the Grocery Inquiry of 2008 and the subsequent Horticulture Code. “We believe this code will strike the right balance and while we need an effective, competitive market, it will be an instrument of Parliament,

Calls for reforms to penalty rates were made over the last week by key industry groups the Australian Retailers Association and the Australian Chamber of Commerce & Industry (ACCI) as Australia’s youth unemployment rate reaches a 12-year high. Peak retail industry body the ARA said reducing penalty rates is a crucial step in creating higher

Woolworths and Coles continue to open new supermarket and liquor stores unabated and move into country towns, high streets and suburbs, facilitated by compliant councils and state governments, taking more market share away from independent retailers. While the two majors are signing a code of conduct for their trading relationships with suppliers, their capacity expansion