The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has reported a win for consumers and King Island producers, with a Federal Court decision that has finally stopped a Victorian butcher claiming over the past four years to be selling meat described as from King Island. Hooker Meats Pty Ltd (trading as Peninsula Bulk Meats, and located on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula), had been offering meat for sale, claiming that it was sourced from King Island, which is an island in Bass Strait that... ...Read more »

Speaking last night to the Law Society of NSW on the first anniversary of the Australian Consumer Law (ACL), the Chairman of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) ,  Mr Rod Sims, issued a warning to businesses. According to Mr Sims, ensuring that businesses do not engage in misleading and deceptive conduct “goes to the heart of a market economy where consumers can make more informed choices.” “Too many businesses still have a long way to go before they meet legal and public... ...Read more »

The organisation representing Coeliac Disease sufferers in Australia is advocating the Australian government revise the “Gluten Free” standard in Australia. The organisation Coeliac Australia had approached both Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) and the Australian Competition Consumer Commission (ACCC) with the aim of altering the “Gluten Free” standard to “less than 20ppm”. The organisation made a similar submission to the body developing Australia’s national food plan. In... ...Read more »

Coles Supermarket Group has issued guidelines to the buyers that it employs on ways to avoid engaging in conduct that might be considered ‘unconscionable’ in dealings when negotiating prices with suppliers to Coles. The supermarket chain has sent a document to all of its buyers offering examples of unconscionable behavior and negotiating practices that might be said to infringe the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission Act 2010. This legislation is enforceable by the Australian Competition... ...Read more »

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is proposing to allow members of Australian Processing Tomato Growers, a branch of the Victorian Farmers Federation, to bargain collectively on the terms and conditions of their contracts with their processors under a draft determination issued today. The proposed five year authorisation would provide the members of Australian Processing Tomato Growers, typically located in northern Victoria and southern New South Wales, with statutory protection... ...Read more »

Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC)’s chairman Rod Sims has announced that the ACCC will not appeal the Full Federal Court’s decision to allow Metcash’s acquisition of the Franklins supermarket business. In a media statement released today, Mr Sims said that the ACCC took action to block the proposed acquisition by Metcash of the Franklins supermarket business because it considered that such an acquisition was likely to result in a substantial lessening of competition in the... ...Read more »

Australian national grocery wholesaler, Metcash, has reported a 14.3 per cent decline in profit to A$94.4 million for the six months to 31 October 2011. Metcash’s executive Andrew Reitzer said that challenging operating conditions have persisted due to reduced consumer confidence, highly value-conscious consumer, and continuing deflation. The profit decline takes into account “significant items and discontinued operations” associated with the company’s Franklins acquisition. Excluding these... ...Read more »

The Full Federal Court has upheld a primary Federal Court judgment which allows Metcash to acquire shares in the Franklins chain of supermarkets, from Pick n Pay Retailers. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) had appealed the earlier Federal Court judgment of Justice Emmett, refusing the ACCC’s application to stop Metcash from acquiring the Franklins supermarket chain. The Full Court has ordered that the ACCC pay Metcash’s legal costs. Once it has acquired the 80 Franklins... ...Read more »

Coles supermarket chain has responded to reports that its new ‘Active Retail Collaboration’ supply chain scheme constitutes uncompetitive behaviour. Coles’ Active Retail Collaboration technology provides a breakdown of the estimated amount of stock it will require from any particular supplier at any point of the year. However, recent media reports claim that some Coles suppliers believe the scheme’s primary focus is making money rather than streamlining the supermarket’s supply chain. Coles... ...Read more »

One of the world’s biggest food processors, Heinz, has moved to deprecate news reports suggesting hostility between Heinz and Australia’s leading supermarkets who are its major customers. Articles in both the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age this week claimed Heinz had “hit out at (supermarket) home brands” and had been “forced to rework strategy” because of the impact of growing home brand label presence in Australia’s supermarkets. Heinz told Australian Food News today that both... ...Read more »