Opinion
Woolworths and Coles should act pre-emptively to avoid big stick
Targeted price cuts would dent margins and be distasteful for the supermarket chains’ investors, but might be less damaging than onerous regulatory changes.
Sue MitchellColumnistThe government has threatened to do “whatever is necessary” to reduce food and grocery costs, but pre-emptive action by the major supermarket chains would have more impact on the cost of living in the short term than onerous regulatory changes.
Woolworths and Coles are on the nose with consumers, due to widespread perceptions of price gouging during a cost-of-living crisis, using technology to shift labour costs from staff to customers, and in Woolworths’ case, daring to stop stocking tacky Australia Day merchandise no one was buying anyway.
Subscribe to gift this article
Gift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe.
Subscribe nowAlready a subscriber?
Introducing your Newsfeed
Follow the topics, people and companies that matter to you.
Find out moreRead More
Latest In Retail
Fetching latest articles