AUSTRALIA | The ACCC will conduct a series of public hearings this month as part of its ongoing Supermarkets Inquiry.
The public hearings will be live-streamed via the ACCC website and will allow the ACCC to gain a more complete understanding of the key issues in the retail grocery sector and its associated supply chains.
The hearings will involve Aldi, Coles, Metcash, Woolworths executives and other stakeholders.
On the 25th of January 2024, the Australian Government announced that it would direct the ACCC to investigate Australia’s supermarket sector.
On the 1st of February 2024, the ACCC received the formal direction from the Australian Government and the terms of the reference for the inquiry.
Later that month, the ACCC published an online survey and issued a paper seeking views from consumers, farmers and other interested parties.
Towards the end of September, the ACCC published its interim report outlining what it has heard at the halfway point of the inquiry.
The final report for the inquiry will be provided to the Government by the 28th of February 2025.
“We have received a large volume of information from the major participants in the supermarket sector, and these hearings will provide an opportunity for us to seek clarification on a range of the very complex matters detailed in that information,” said ACCC Deputy Chair Mick Keogh.
“Our inquiry is ongoing, and as such, we have not yet reached concluded views on the key issues flagged in our interim report. We will outline our views and recommendations in the final report for the inquiry, which is due to the Treasurer by 28 February 2025.”
The ACCC’s proceedings against Woolworths and Coles are separate from the inquiry, and the Supermarkets Inquiry will not consider the issues in dispute in these proceedings.
These public hearings will be held from the 7th to the 22nd of November.
The scheduled hearing dates and attendees are as follows:
7-8 November – Consumer advocacy groups, supplier industry representative bodies and supplier(s)
11-12 November – Aldi
14-15 November – Metcash
18-19 November – Woolworths
21-22 November – Coles
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