ACCC probing supermarkets' tactics
Market watch top headlines
Australian reports
- Aust markets: Aust shares close more than 2% lower
- Aust dollar report: $A falls to 2.5year low after Fed comments
- Aust credit close: Aust bonds weaken after Fed comments
World reports
- World commodities: Commodities markets summary
- World markets: International markets roundup
CANBERRA, Aug 1 AAP
August 01 2012, 5:31PM
The competition watchdog says it is making progress in investigating whether major supermarket chains abuse their market power in dealings with suppliers.
Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) chairman Rod Sims says consideration of small businesses' concerns is "progressing well", with two sets of issues arising.
"First, the potential for unconscionable conduct in relation to general dealings between the supermarket and their suppliers," Mr Sims told a small-business conference in Melbourne on Wednesday.
"Second, concerns over the misuse of market power, particularly in relation to private-label products."
Mr Sims said the ACCC's investigation into the retail petrol industry and shopper dockets was taking longer than expected.
"The ACCC anticipates this investigation will take some time," he said.
The ACCC is looking at whether competition issues arise from the extended frequency, duration and amount of shopper docket discounts offered by Coles and Woolworths-Caltex.
