On 6 December 2023, the Senate resolved that the Select Committee on Supermarket Prices be established to inquire into and report on the price setting practices and market power of major supermarkets. This is the third inquiry to examine supermarkets and cost of living issues in the last 12 months.

The committee is to present a final report by 7 May 2024, and Western Plains residents can have their voices heard should they wish to.

 The establishment of the Committee was made possible through a motion introduced by The Greens and unopposed in the Senate.

Deputy Leader of the NSW Nationals, Senator Perin Davey, who is described by her party as a no-nonsense country woman, said regional farmers were often the losers in the disparity of pricing.

"We know the price paid to farmers is not increasing in line with the price consumers are paying," Senator Davey said. "This inquiry gives us the chance to look at the regulatory framework and see if there are changes we can make to help lower prices."

“We all know that the cost of living is going up and it is timely to investigate whether the concentration of market power in our supermarket sector is a contributing factor."

At last reports, Woolworths Group (37% share) and Coles (28% share) are the major players in the Australian food retail industry. The CEOs of Coles and Woolworths have confirmed they will participate in the inquiry next year.

The state’s peak farming body, NSW Farmers is also throwing support behind farmers, asking shoppers to check the label and choose Australian-grown food this holiday season

NSW Farmers Pork Committee chair Edwina Beveridge said a lot of Christmas ham now on sale would be made from imported meats.

“The easiest way to know you’re buying local is to look for the bone – if the ham has a bone in it then it’s Australian,” Ms Beveridge said. “You can also look at the country-of-origin labels: the green and gold kangaroo only indicates it was made here, you need to look at the bar chart and make sure it contains at least 90 per cent Australian ingredients."

“Farmers are in the business of growing healthy plants and healthy animals, and we enjoy knowing families are enjoying the great local food we produce."

While supporting the new enquiry, the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) say retailers are doing their best to keep a lid on prices, despite inflationary pressures driving up the cost of goods and business across the board.

The ARA are urging the Senate Select Committee to carefully examine all the factors contributing to food inflation, and include members of the broader food and grocery supply chain in its inquiry.

Senator Davey said there has been a call on the Government to empower the ACCC to monitor supermarket price issues, but they have not done so.

“In the absence of increasing the ACCC’s powers, this Committee will look into the behaviour of the big supermarkets and their pricing practices, and make appropriate recommendations,” she said.

Food retailers in small remote towns face additional challenges. IMAGE: Spa Bourke facebook

The committee welcomes submissions from individuals about their experiences with the price of food and groceries. There are three types of submissions - a public submission (your name is published on the internet), a name withheld submission (your submission is published but not your name) and a confidential submission.

It's important to note that while committees are respectful of requests for confidentiality, they do have the power to refuse to accept as confidential, or to publish submissions following consultation with the submitter.

If you have something to say about supermarket prices and the cost of living, follow the link for more information.