LABOR’S SUPERMARKET RESPONSE LEAVES SHOPPERS HIGH AND DRY   
2024-06-24
greens.org.au
Labor’s code of conduct will do nothing to bring down food and grocery prices, and if the Prime Minister truly wants to help Australian shoppers he should support the Greens’ divestiture bill this week, the Greens say.

“Food and grocery prices won’t come down unless we make price gouging illegal, and create powers to break up the supermarket duopoly,” Greens Economic Justice Spokesperson Senator Nick McKim said.

“We will bring our divestiture bill to a vote on Wednesday this week.”

“This is Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s moment to choose: does he support Australian shoppers or will he continue to back the giant supermarket corporations and their billion dollar profits.”

“Is Labor actually trying to help Australian shoppers, or just chasing a headline?”

“Only the Greens have proposed concrete measures in Parliament that will result in lower food and grocery prices”.

“Divestiture powers exist in numerous free-market economies around the world, and the Chair of the ACCC has confirmed that greater competition in the supermarket sector would bring down food and grocery prices.”

“The Greens will continue to push for measures that foster competition and lower prices. It's time for the Labor Party to decide whether to protect the profits of supermarket giants or provide relief to Australian shoppers.”

“The Code of Conduct does need to be made mandatory with significant penalties, which is exactly what the Greens-led Senate inquiry into price gouging recommended.”

“However it only regulates the relationship between supermarkets and suppliers, and won’t bring down the cost of food and groceries.”

If anything, the massive penalties for ripping off farmers and other companies along the supply chain will most likely lead to retail price hikes.

Not that I'm opposed to fair dealing with suppliers, it just fails to do anything to help the shelf price.