The ACCC has offered protection to whistleblower farmers and grocery supplies if they report price gouging by supermarkets. But for those on the land it’s still easier said than done.
Supermarkets
The 2011 Crikeys: who went boom and bust in business
After another year of remarkable volatility caused by the unpredictable news flow coming out of the European debt crisis, Australian investors have every reason to be sitting on their hands. So who did capitalise?
Stacking the shelves: the home brand backlash, from pollies to rivals
As the pricing war between Coles and Woolworths heats up, there are concerns the push toward home brand products could see consumers left with less choice in their trolley. In part two of an ongoing series, Crikey examines the rise of generics — and market power.
Tight arses unite for a merry homebrand Christmas
Branded grocery item prices are soaring while homebrand versions are dropping in price. Start buying no name to reign those greedy big brands in, says the government. But should we blame brands or the supermarkets?
Reality check: you can afford locally-grown fresh food
Stop blaming the supermarket ogliopoly for buying packaged, processed food from big corporations, says Phillip O’Neal: most Australians can afford and access fresh, locally-produced fare — they’re just too lazy.
Why the supermarket express lane isn’t always the fastest
It’s called “express”, everyone in it has eight items or fewer, yet every other line is powering ahead of you. Why? Dan Meyer explains, using the power of maths.
Australia embraces the Woolworths economy
The supermarket business is at the heart of the Woolies cash machine, and big growth in the sector is tightening the group’s grip on Australian retailing.
Petrol pricing move likely to backfire on the major retailers
Whilst shopper docket schemes at Coles and Woolworths have been considered pro-competitive up to now, the ACCC are now looking a bit more closely.
Woolworths: in ur fridge, tracking ur foodz
Supermarkets are using customer loyalty cards to keep track of what you are — and aren’t — buying from the store and where you’re getting petrol.
Recession retail: it’s all in the aisles
How Wal-Mart monitors consumers’ spending — and how they’re trying to save — one trolley at a time.
Supermarket centre aisle back in fashion
Most of Big Food’s marketing focus has been on the outer aisles while the centre store — the middle aisles that hold everything from kidney beans to marshmallows — got little attention. That is, until the GFC.
Government’s grocery response passes the stuntwatch test
Never mind what The Australian and the other palls of Big Retail say, there is merit in the Government’s response to the ACCC’s grocery reoport, writes Bernard Keane.
The spin starts here: Woolies fronts the ACCC
Yesterday was never going to be easy for Woolies boss Michael Luscombe, writes Trevor Cook.
Briefly Business: Retail price raids in Britiain and Stokes flashes the Monet
British competition watchdog probes retail price fixing … Buffett warns US recession will be tougher than expected … Kerry Stokes flashes the Monet.
Woolies widening the gap on Coles
Any turnaround of Coles will be at a huge expense, writes former Coles executive Laurie Giuseppini.
