Grocery inquiry 2008

On 22 January 2008 the then Assistant Treasurer requested an ACCC price inquiry into the price of groceries.

Scope of inquiry

Matters considered by the inquiry included:

• the current structure of the grocery industry including mergers and acquisitions by the national retailers
• the nature of competition of the grocery industry
• the competitive position of small and independent retailers
• the pricing practices of the national grocery retailers and the representation of grocery prices to consumers
• factors influencing the pricing of inputs along the supply chain for standard grocery items
• any impediments to efficient pricing of inputs along the supply chain and
• the effectiveness of the Horticulture code of conduct, and whether the inclusion of other major buyers such as retailers would improve the effectiveness of the code.

Inquiry documents

• Notice of inquiry ( PDF 248.26 KB )
• Grocery inquiry issues paper 11 February 2008 ( PDF 301.94 KB )
• Horticulture Code issues paper 20 May 2008 ( PDF 97.05 KB )

Submissions

Grocery inquiry

Submissions for the inquiry closed at 5pm on 11 March 2008

• Submissions received to the grocery inquiry

The ACCC may have been limited in its ability to take into account information submitted after the closing date.

• Late submissions to the grocery inquiry

Horticulture code

Submissions relating to the Horticulture Code issues paper were due at 5pm on 10 June 2008.

Please note that many of the earlier general submissions to the Inquiry also mention issues that relate to the Horticulture Code.

• Submissions received to the Horticulture Code issues paper

Public hearings

• Public hearings - 2008 grocery price inquiry

Report

• Report of the ACCC inquiry into the competitiveness of retail prices for standard groceries

More information

Inquiry press conference - on the Treasury website