Stephen McMahon
Herald Sun
March 15, 2012
A STRING of grocery suppliers has come forward to help the competition watchdog investigate supermarket giants Coles and Woolworths.
Competition tsar Rod Sims has revealed the watchdog is in talks with a number of suppliers, including listed companies, following his appeal for whistleblowers.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is gathering evidence into “unconscionable conduct” by the supermarket giants as they squeeze suppliers in a bid to cut prices.
Speaking to BusinessDaily, the new chairman of the commission said the watchdog needed further input from suppliers to Coles and Woolworths.
The two chains dominate the market, with 50 per cent of fresh fruit and vegetable sales and 70 per cent of overall grocery sales.
“We have information from the government and the grocery council, but we need people to back up things with evidence,” Mr Sims said.
“We will protect confidentiality if people come and talk to us. Any investigation has to be treated with the utmost caution and can’t be compromised.”
Mr Sims said consumers were his key concern.
He is also promising another review into price fixing at the petrol bowser.
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