Eli Greenblat July 29, 2013 The Age The ACCC fears the docket discounting could eventually lead to higher petrol prices. The competition regulator has fired a salvo across the bow of the nation’s most powerful supermarket chains, Woolworths and Coles, warning the escalating petrol discounts offered by the duo are likely to lessen competition and flagging action to curb excessive discounting. The chairman of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, Rod Sims, has further ignited the issue around the popular shopper docket petrol schemes, arguing in a strong speech today that if the supermarket chains wish to offer discounts to their customers it should be on supermarket purchases, not petrol. The ACCC has no power to ban shopper dockets offers … however, the ACCC can investigate market activity and … take court action seeking injunctions to stop the conduct. “If Coles and Woolworths wish to offer their customers a discount,…

July 24, 2013 JOINT MEDIA RELEASE THE HON GARY GRAY AO MP Minister for Small Business THE HON BERNIE RIPOLL MP Parliamentary Secretary for Small Business The Australian Government today launched a new version of its highly popular E-resource kit for small businesses at the Small Business Forum in Brisbane. The Small Business Resource Kit is a USB flash drive containing useful information and resources designed to help small business owners and start-ups get down to business. Minister for Small Business Gary Gray said the flash drive had found its way to more than 40,000 small business owners since it was launched just over two years ago. “The upgraded information in the kits includes revised versions of the useful Starting your Business and Growing your Business checklists,” Mr Gray said. “These checklists have been downloaded more than half a million times and are among the most popular tools downloaded from…

July 24, 2013 The Australian Government today moved to strengthen and improve Australia’s $130 billion Franchising Sector by responding to the 2013 Independent Review of the Franchising Code of Conduct. Releasing the Government’s response, the Minister for Small Business Gary Gray said the Code would deliver better outcomes and provide certainty for franchisors and franchisees. “The government will move to introduce into the code an obligation to act in good faith, and to include civil pecuniary penalties for breaches of the code,” Mr Gray said. “The Government will also address other areas of concern, including marketing funds and disclosure and will seek to provide certainty by accepting in principle that once implemented, another review of the sector will not occur for five more years.” Mr Gray said the reforms were important because they clarified the obligations under the Franchising Code of Conduct and ensured that the courts and the Australian…

Eli Greenblat July 22, 2013 The Age The local offshoot of Anglo-Dutch consumer products giant Unilever, which sells everything from shampoo and ice-cream to tea and laundry powder, has been hit by a profit collapse of almost 50 per cent to $43.12 million as revenues flat-lined in 2012. The souring profit and unresponsive sales performance comes as suppliers in Australia, both big and small, are facing increasing pressure from the supermarket giants to take margin haircuts and invest heavily in their own supply systems to improve efficiencies in the supply chain. Unilever’s heavy reliance on its empire of brands is also challenged by cautious consumer behaviour and the growth in popularity of unbranded private-label groceries at the supermarket checkout. Coles, Woolworths and new entrant, German discounter Aldi, are stripping brands from their shelves, usually only offering the top two branded items in each category to remain, and swamping the aisles…

CSDecisions City bills aim to snuff out cigarette sales. Mayor Bloomberg is once again pushing for new legislation that would ban the display of tobacco products, eliminate all tobacco product coupons and promotions, ban the sale of many individual cigars, and further increase cigarette prices. And once again, instead of focusing on the issues that matter the most to New Yorkers, Mayor Bloomberg is pushing for excessive restrictions that will make it harder for New York City retailers to do business. That is among the key takeaways from an informative new Website aimed at helping retailers deal with onerous tobacco restrictions. The “Save Our Stores” Coalition (www.saveourstoresnyc.com) Website says, “We do not need Mayor Bloomberg pushing another law that unfairly restricts adult buying choices. Adults have the right to be able to see the product they want to buy and redeem a coupon for it—even if it’s a tobacco product.…