THE Australian Federal Court has found Woolworths breaching the fuel docket undertakings for the first three months of this year, offering bundled discounts of up to eight cents per litre. Fellow grocery giant Coles was found to have been compliant despite offering discounts of up to 14 cents per litre, as much of its discounted fuel was funded through its Coles Express convenience stores. The findings follow an agreement between the retailers and the ACCC to limit fuel discounting to four cents per litre. ACCC chairman Rod Sims was pleased with the judgment to limit fuel discounts subsidised by supermarket operations. “We are disappointed however that the Court has found that Coles and Woolworths can bundle a supermarket fuel offer with a petrol station offer. We will carefully consider the judgment and its implications for competition in fuel markets and any detrimental price impact on fuel consumers,” says Sims.
WOOLWORTHS BREACHED UNDERTAKING
