Grocery prices: we’ve always had it tough

By PETER ROWE

Indigenous Consumer Assistance Network financial counsellor Martina Kingi has called out the latest grocery pricing complaint inquiry saying remote communities had always faced significantly higher prices and often received worse products.

“Our mob have been dealing with this for a very long time,” she said.

Community-run stores were trusted more and usually offered better prices.

Greater transparency from privately owned stores on why prices were higher, beyond blaming freight charges, would help, Ms Kingi added.

“Some of the private stores are there to make a buck … they’re not really hiring locals or anything like that,” she said.

Assistant Competition Minister Andrew Leigh said a mandatory code of conduct governing the relationship between supermarkets and suppliers would soon replace a “toothless” voluntary code, carrying significant penalties for those in breach.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission in September sued Coles and Woolworths, claiming the retailers misled customers with illusory discount schemes.

Both grocers have denied the allegations and say the cases are misconceived.

But an inquiry into supermarket pricing has heard consumers have lost trust in supermarkets amid perceptions they have profited from the cost-of-living crisis.

The ACCC started public hearings for its inquiry into the supermarket sector today (Thursday) examine price-setting practices, retail competition, supply chain concerns and the profit margins of major chains.

Representatives from Woolworths, Coles, Aldi and Metcash – which licenses the IGA brand and others – will appear throughout November.

WITH AAP