Governments are already engaged in shadow-boxing matches with the supermarkets,which can’t afford to stand flat-footed.
A trip to the food market confirmed our worst fears,that cost-of-living woes are not being eased by our supermarket duopoly.
The situation for growers is so dire that more than a third are considering walking away from their farming business,according to a submission to the Senate supermarket pricing inquiry.
The supermarket wars are not my usual wheelhouse,but I consider myself something of a battle-hardened veteran with combat experience from foreign fields.
The former watchdog supports giving the ACCC more powers to deal with anticompetitive behaviour,but is unconvinced there’s a case for breaking up Coles or Woolworths.
Coles and Aldi have made their submissions to the Senate inquiry into supermarket prices,with the former arguing that price increases are coming from multiple fronts.
When an industry is dominated by just a few huge companies,they can,and often do,manipulate prices to their own advantage.
The risk for Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is that allegations of price gouging might prove wide of the mark.
The consumer watchdog will use its full legal might to investigate supermarkets in a year-long inquiry into grocery pricing and competition.
The prime minister also sent a clear signal he was willing to impose a mandatory code on Woolworths,Coles and other supermarkets to lower grocery prices.