Metcash Claims Supermarket Majors Buying Up Properties to Remove Competitors

Woolworths has denied the claim, saying their growth is driven by consumer demand.

A shopper places salad mix in a bag at Victoria Market in Melbourne, Australia, on July 5, 2022. William West/AFP via Getty Images

Food wholesaler Metcash has called on the government to strengthen competition laws to protect independent supermarkets from the alleged predatory business practices of major players.

During a Senate hearing on April 11, Grant Ramage, CEO of Metcash’s food division, said the growth of two major supermarket chains, Coles and Woolworths, had been left unchecked for a long time.