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Qrtsa - The Retailers Association Heralds an Historic Victory Over Woolworths-Coles Duopoly

ACCC Rejects a Supermarket Acquisition by Woolworths in Favour of an Independent

It is with great satisfaction today that I bring members the news of an historic move by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) to announce their opposition to the Woolworths takeover of a retail outlet in Queanbeyan in New South Wales. The ACCC has acknowledged that had Woolworths been allowed to buy the store, “...it would be likely to substantially lessen the competition in the local retail supermarket “market” surrounding the store”. The ACCC further noted as reason for their position, “...if the acquisition had proceeded, Woolworths would have owned three of the four full-line supermarkets in the Queanbeyan area...”

I have been aggressively arguing the case in the media and with government in recent months regarding the very real threat posed to genuine competition and downward pressure on prices, if the Coles-Woolworths duopoly are further allowed to lock out their independent retail competitors. After much angst and many a heated word, we have today seen the first sign that the message is getting through.

I spoke privately this morning with Graeme Samuel, Chairman of the ACCC and expressed my strong support for the decision he has taken in this matter and have his assurance that the ACCC will now take a “more aggressive” approach to their role in this regard.

To listen to a Canberra radio interview I did on this decision late yesterday, please visit our website www.qrtsa.com.au and click on the red MEDIA button at the top right of the front page.

Members can rest assured that I will continue to press the case for the independent retail sector as a whole and ensure that the decision makers in this country think long and hard before opting to make decisions not in the very best interests of our very important industry sector.

Scott Driscoll
Executive Director