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Big supermarkets 'blocked' grocery site

KELLY BURKE

17 Sep, 2009 07:11 AM

THE country's most powerful retailer lobby group scuppered Kevin Rudd's election promise to force grocery prices down, a Government inquiry has been told.

In its submission to a Senate economics committee inquiry into the last-minute scrapping of the price-monitoring website Grocery Choice, the body commissioned to create and run the project, Choice, has claimed Woolworths was hostile and obstructionist from the start.

Its rivals Coles and Franklins, however, were cautiously co-operative until the Australian National Retailers Association stepped in on April 30 and took over negotiations on behalf of all three supermarket chains.

"The entry of ANRA marked a turning point in the project," Choice said in its submission.

"This new strategy gave these supermarkets an opportunity to present a united front and agree an approach to block progress.

"Supermarkets stepped away from the negotiating table and let ANRA do the talking."

© SMH

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comments

Date: Newest first | Oldest first

No, this can't be true. I've fixed this problem. The supermarkets were fully investigated by the ACCC. There are no more problems in this area. I've fulfilled my election promise. Every one is happy with the outcome. Regards, Kev 07

Posted by kevin 07, 17/09/2009 10:51:53 AM, on Farm Weekly

Who is actually running this country - monopolies of the Labor Govt!

Posted by tigerdicky, 17/09/2009 1:44:37 PM, on The Land

Message to be learnt. Boycott the big players!

Posted by Paul, 17/09/2009 3:35:11 PM, on The Land

Couldn't agree with Paul more. Shop with locally owned businesses in everything, not just food!

Posted by concerned, 18/09/2009 9:50:04 AM, on The Land

And Buy Australian!! Hard, I know, but try not to but anything else.

Posted by Concerned Northerner, 19/09/2009 7:00:03 AM, on Queensland Country Life

So how do you really think the program was going to work? Updating pricing weekly when prices can change any time in between! Give us a break. My families primary shopping is NOT done at Woolies or Coles, but it doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that the program was never going to be anywhere near accurate apart from maybe 6 hours a week.

Posted by Alternative View, 21/09/2009 9:22:47 AM, on The Land

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