Cost of living Qld: Steven Miles writes to grocery giants over pricing

Supermarkets have been warned over claims they are charging too much for locally grown fruit and vegetables, with Premier Steven Miles joining demands for greater transparency.

• Editor’s view: Fair go needed

Supermarkets have been put on notice over claims they are charging too much for locally grown fruit and vegetables.

Premier Steven Miles has joined the federal government in demanding transparency from supermarkets and decreasing the gaps in prices.

On Friday, Premier Miles sent a letter to chief executives from Coles, Woolworths, IGA and Aldi asking to meet with them to discuss it.

SCROLL DOWN TO SEE THE LETTER

It came as The Sunday Mail reported up to 30 per cent of Australian fruit and vegetable growers will walk away from their farms because supermarkets won’t pay a fair price for their produce.

“I write to raise my growing concern about a widening gap between the prices farmers receive for their produce and the prices customers pay at the checkout in your supermarkets,” he wrote in the letter shown to The Courier-Mail.

He also raised concerns about meat prices, referring to data indicating sheep and cattle prices had decreased, however Queensland families had not witnessed the reduction in prices.

“I understand there are various factors involved in pricing decisions and I would greatly appreciate the opportunity to personally meet with you and your counterparts in January 2024 to discuss this matter in more detail,” he wrote in the letter.

Premier Steven Miles on Sunday. Picture Glenn Campbell

“I look forward to our discussion and working with you to ensure the best outcome for Queenslanders, especially at this time when cost-of-living pressures are stretching many families.”

At a media conference on the Gold Coast on Sunday, Mr Miles confirmed he had written to CEOs of the major supermarket chains telling them about the gap in prices compared to how much Queensland households were spending.

“The fact is these grocery stores are making very large profits and those profits are having an impact on the cost of living for families wanting to put food on the table as well as farmers trying to make a living,” he said.

“So I’ve asked those CEOs to make executives available to meet with me and to discuss what efforts we might be able to do together to both address farm prices as well as food costs for families.”

Federal Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Minister Murray Watt said it was an issue he had been calling on supermarkets to address.

“I think all Australians expect the big supermarket chains to pay our farmers a fair price and I think in too many instances that’s not occurring,” he said.

“That’s exactly why last year we commenced a review of the food and grocery code, that’s a national code of conduct that applies to supermarkets, wholesalers and farmers.

“It’s about making sure the supermarkets are being fully transparent about the prices they are paying … so farmers have a level playing field.”

STEVEN MILES’S LETTER TO SUPERMARKETS

Dear --------------

I write to raise my growing concern about a widening gap between the prices farmers receive for their produce and the prices customers pay at the checkout in your supermarkets.

As mentioned in my inaugural speech as Premier on 15 December 2023, recent data from Meat and Livestock Australia indicates cattle and sheep meat prices have decreased 60 to 70 per cent in the last year. However, Queensland families have not witnessed a proportional reduction in supermarket meat prices.

I understand there are various factors involved in pricing decisions and I would greatly appreciate the opportunity to personally meet with you and your counterparts in January 2024 to discuss this matter in more detail.

I look forward to our discussion and working with you to ensure the best outcome for Queenslanders, especially at this time when cost of living pressures are stretching many families. I have asked my office to reach out to yours to arrange a suitable meeting date and time.

Thank you in advance for your attention on this matter and I look forward to meeting you in early 2024.

Yours sincerely

STEVEN MILES MP

PREMIER OF QUEENSLAND