Carol Richards, Queensland University of Technology; Bree Hurst, Queensland University of Technology; Hope Johnson, Queensland University of Technology, dan Rudolf Messner, Queensland University of Technology
Proposed toughening of the food and grocery code of conduct is long overdue. However, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission will need to be well resourced to properly regulate the sector.
Australia’s Soft Plastics Taskforce has been under pressure to fill the vacuum left by the demise of REDcycle. But this time the small trial announced for Melbourne has the potential to succeed.
Profits, not social justice, appear to be why the big grocers are dropping support for Australia Day. But creating a distraction when they’re being criticised for high prices is also possible.
Trademarking a shape of a product, or proving that a competitor is passing off their product as your own, is not easy. A high-profile settlement, though, is marketing gold.
We surveyed over 100 Coles, Woolworths, Aldi and independent stores around Australia and found supermarkets are promoting unhealthy food much more often, and more prominently, than healthier products.
Coles plans to compete with competitors by moving away from low prices to a focus on other attributes, such as sustainability, local produce and community.
‘Parasitic’ or copycat brands which mimic famous names are creating a market place of their own but they are treading on thin ice when it comes to copyright and intellectual property law.
John Rice, University of New England dan Nigel Martin, Australian National University
For consumers of Australia’s retail sector, choice and convenience will continue to emerge. For incumbents unable to deliver on these outcomes, the future is bleak.
Some of the bigger grocery retailers are moving away from convenience stores because of increased costs, difficulties reading the market and cannibalisation.