Four Corners on Monday night covered an issue that I have been contemplating for quite some time. The dominance of Woolworths and Coles in Australia. These massive multi-million dollar companies who have effectively killed off the corner store, the local bottlo, and the good old fashioned service station. Together these two corporations control more than half of Australia's groceries, 60% of fresh produce (eg: fruit and vegetables) and 70% of dairy (eg: milk). Add to that enormous liquor chains like Dan Murphy's and Liquor Land, combined with more than 1100 petrol stations, and you have major monopolies controlling the majority of consumer Australia. And this does not even mention the hotels, pubs, poker machines, fast food outlets and variety stores also in their empires.
The report itself by Stephen Long was interesting and engaging. It talked to most of the relevant parties, such as the ACCC, Woolworths, retail analysts, farmers and independent bottle shop owners. It probably missed the petrol players and the sequence, or the flow, of the actual story was a little disjointed, but overall, it was worth watching. Click on the link to have a look at "The Price We Pay" yourself.
This was followed by Media Watch where Jonathon Holmes, in his regular sarcastic tone, targeted a Who mix up, whale sex identification, Fairfax job cuts and Lismore's Neil Marks running for Mayor. Another amusing and informative episode, which can be seen by clicking here.
Finally, to Andrew Denton and his excellent interviewing style and technique. From the comedy of Bill Bailey to the serious stories of three foster care parents. Wonderful stuff. More by clicking ... here.
2 comments:
they are very scary, particularly now that Woolworths is launching its credit card. In the suburb I live in, we have a Woolworths, a Franklins, and soon Aldi all competing within a kilometre of each other. Capitalism...
Capitalism is very scary indeed, especially with the new credit card launch.
In Maitland, for instance, there is a suburb in the west called Rutherford. It now has Woolies, Coles, Aldi and the old grocer Bullins within a 500m radius. Absolutely insane.
Greenhills is becoming the same.
This means the whole consumer behaviour of Maitland, population 60 000, has changed dramatically in the past decade, let alone the last century. Now, the suburbs in the west and the east of Maitland are dominating the market and Maitland itself is becoming less and less relevant. Unheard of during the 1900's.
Furthermore, I work at Lorn Bottle Shop, and we are the last independently owned liquor outlet in the area. In the east - Dan Murphys, in the west - BWS, in central Maitland - Macs Liquor, which leaves just us in the North. And Woolies has tried to buy us out several times in order to gain the monopoly of the market in the area. I suspect, and now know so from watching the 4 corners report, that we are not the only ones in that particular situation.
Josh
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