‘Not good enough’: Albanese warns supermarkets to lower prices   

The Age
January 10, 2024

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has warned supermarkets to pass savings on to consumers, declaring that a new review would explore all options on the table, including significant government intervention, to bring grocery prices down.

“Our farmers are providing produce at cheaper levels, but that isn’t being passed on to consumers and it’s not good enough,” Albanese said on Sky News on Tuesday night. Federal Labor seeks to make cost-of-living relief its central policy goal ahead of the next election.




Supermarket giants warned all options on table for tackling prices as government launches review.

Amid rising anger across the political spectrum about high food prices, Albanese announced that former Labor cabinet minister Craig Emerson will lead a review of the Food and Grocery Code of Conduct.

The review will examine whether there should be a shift away from the current voluntary industry-led regulatory scheme, which was established by the major supermarket chains, in favour of stricter government mandates.

“The voluntary Code of Conduct that is currently run by industry, this will be an examination of whether further mandating is actually required,” Albanese told the ABC on Wednesday morning.

“Because we know that when we have seen a reduction in the cost to supermarkets, that hasn’t been passed on in an appropriate way to consumers. And we want to make sure that happens.”


The Coalition this week accused the major supermarkets of imposing “extraordinary” retail mark-ups on the food they purchase from suppliers while Treasurer Jim Chalmers said the government was committed to ensuring supermarket consumers were not being ripped off.

After the previous political year was dominated by the failed Voice to parliament referendum, Labor is determined to show voters that it is focused on tackling high inflation and other cost-of-living pressures.


The government said in a statement that it will “use all available levers to ensure businesses are passing on lower costs to their customers” and “look at every option to make sure Australian customers get the best possible deal”.
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Emerson – who served as competition, trade and small business minister during the Rudd-Gillard years – said he would approach the inquiry with an open mind, but noted he had a long-standing passion for creating a more competitive economy.

“I’ll look at the facts and follow the evidence,” Emerson, a trained economist, said in an interview with this masthead.

As a minister, Emerson pushed for changes to state planning laws to encourage greater competition in the retail sector and an end to lease contracts that prevented rivals such as Aldi from opening a store in the same shopping centre as an existing Coles or Woolworths.

However, Emerson, who comes from Labor’s centre-right faction, has traditionally opposed populist policies such as price caps mandated by the government and oversaw the scrapping of the Rudd government’s much-hyped Grocery Choice price-tracking website.

Albanese said: “We have been clear: if the price for meat and fruit and vegetables is going down at the farm gate, then families should be seeing cheaper prices on supermarket shelves too.


Anthony Albanese says farmers are providing produce at cheaper levels, but that isn’t being passed on to consumers.

“Supermarkets have a duty to make sure they’re providing affordable options for all Australians, especially when they’re making savings on their own costs.”

Saying that cost of living had been a key priority for the government, Albanese added: “If there are further steps that are needed, then the government will not hesitate to take action.”

The government announced it was already moving to amend the code ahead of Emerson’s review by making the complaints process more independent and easier for suppliers to navigate.


The Food and Grocery Code of Conduct was established in 2015 to improve standards of behaviour in the sector, with a focus on the conduct of retailers and wholesalers towards their suppliers.

The code is voluntary and businesses can withdraw by writing to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).

The government said it was considering shifting to compulsory requirements and independent consumer complaints handling.

The government said it was also looking at strengthening consumer rights in circumstances where market dominance leads to unfair pricing and unacceptabl

Yep ... just a couple of days ago I asked a local farmer what his crop was like this year. He said it was a bumper crop, great year as they had plenty of rain but not so much that the crops were damaged, insects were at record lows, a perfect growing season  .. but with  woolies/coles controlling the market he would have been better of bulldozing his crop. They only pay him $6kg for his crop, which they then sell for $66 kg.

He can warn them all he wants but, unfortunately, nothing will happen   

Jovial Monk wrote on Jan 10^th, 2024 at 12:41pm:


They may not follow the direct path of a cartel ..... what they do instead is hire people through a third party agency to go out and 'mystery shop' and return a list of prices..... this is such well known carteling that they give these people Visitor's tickets for their shirt/blouse...

Hidden just beneath the surface.... he'll be hoarse long before the cartel goes down .....

albo should make welfare recipients do work for the dole picking fruit and veges

would bring prices down

Bobby. wrote on Jan 10^th, 2024 at 2:38pm:


berries

Bobby. wrote on Jan 10^th, 2024 at 5:47pm:


no, I just repeated what the farmer told me.

Bobby. wrote on Jan 10^th, 2024 at 5:58pm:


With its apple-y, fruity, tart bounty, the Riberry has quickly become famous across restaurants for its versatility and deliciousness.



Being one of the best native fruits when eaten raw or used in preserves, they often are sold to restaurants for over $65 per kilo with each tree bearing over 10kg of fruit when mature.



Perfect for pots or directly in the garden, the Riberry is planted in botanical gardens in Melbourne and around Australia.   

https://melbournebushfood.com.au/blogs/growing-bushfood-at-home/growing-riberry