This Month
- Opinion
- Chanticleer
Woolies’ reputational crisis has cost it $8b and counting
The supermarket giant has aggressively brought down prices, but its sales are growing far more slowly than its great rival. That’s a serious problem.
- James Thomson
April
Woolworths says forced store sales won’t lower prices
The nation’s largest grocery chain says the bill put forward by the Greens as a tool against the misuse of market power could even result in higher prices.
- Carrie LaFrenz
National security committee to meet after stabbings: PM
Anthony Albanese says violence and extremism has no place in Australia; Richard Marles reveals defence spending will crack $100 billion by 2034. How the day unfolded.
- Updated
- Gus McCubbing
- Analysis
- Investing
What is the true measure of a grocer’s profitability?
There’s solid ground to dismiss Nick McKim’s use of return on equity. But his audience is not wonky accountants – it’s disgruntled punters facing higher bills.
- Jonathan Shapiro
12 big players dominate fruit and vegetable supplies
12 suppliers make up half of the total value of all fruit and vegetables sold in Woolies; Coles paid its staff $5 billion in wages last year; Woolworths boss threatened with jail. How the day unfolded.
- Updated
- Tom McIlroy
- Updated
- Coles Supermarkets
Woolworths, Greens in fiery clash on profits
Outgoing Woolworths boss Brad Banducci was threatened with six months in jail for contempt of the Senate, in a fiery Senate hearing that went off the rails on Tuesday.
- Carrie LaFrenz and Tom McIlroy
Emerson rejects ‘populist’ supermarket break-up call
An independent review has rejected the forced break-up of Coles and Woolworths, finding the ideas backed by the Coalition and Greens lacked “credibility”.
- Ronald Mizen
Bunnings may be caught by tougher grocery code
The hardware giant controls 70 per cent of the retail horticulture market, more than Woolworths’ and Coles’ 65 per cent share of supermarkets, prompting suppliers to raise concerns about its buyer power.
- Ronald Mizen
- Opinion
- Supermarkets
Compulsory grocery code strikes right balance
The interim report seeks to prevent big supermarkets from abusing their market power while rejecting populist policies such as forced divestiture of stores.
- Craig Emerson
March
- Opinion
- Opinion
Where your spend at Coles and Woolworths is really going
The supermarkets are not profit gouging: less than $3 of every $100 spent goes to profits. Look at the market power of brewers and big tech instead.
- John Kehoe
How supermarkets discount and force suppliers to pay
The Bellamy’s Organic founder helped lead the fourth-largest baby formula producer in Australia. He says the supermarkets can make or break brands.
- Tom McIlroy
Greens claim farmers are in crisis. The data doesn’t back it up
The fruit and vegetable sector is expected to be bolstered by strong production growth over coming years despite the Greens claims that Australian farming is at “crisis point”.
- Tom Rabe and Carrie LaFrenz
February
Reputation needs bigger role in Woolworths executive pay: ISS
The proxy advisory group’s comments come as the supermarket giant faces intense scrutiny over its profit margins as household budgets are crunched.
- Jemima Whyte and Carrie LaFrenz
Limit supermarket mark-ups to ease price pressure, government told
New forced divestiture powers targeting supermarket giants Coles and Woolworths should be urgently considered by federal parliament, the outspoken crossbencher says.
- Tom McIlroy and Cindy Yin
