<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?> <docID>331111</docID> <postdate>2024-10-17 08:44:16</postdate> <headline>Major supermarkets reject ‘enemy number one’ label</headline> <body><p><img class="size-full wp-image-331112" src="https://citynews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/20240923165032317614-original-resized.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="600" /></p> <caption>A survey found 83 per cent of respondents blame the supermarkets for cost-of-living pressures. (Con Chronis/AAP PHOTOS)</caption> <p><span class="kicker-line">By <strong>Andrew Brown</strong> in Canberra</span></p> <p><strong>Customers have laid the most blame for the rising cost of living at the feet of supermarkets after months of intense political pressure on multiple fronts.</strong></p> <p>A survey of more than 1000 people by the Australia Institute found 83 per cent of respondents said supermarkets were responsible for a great deal or some of the blame for cost-of-living pressures.</p> <p>More than four in five blamed energy companies, while 73 per cent said the onus was on banks and 71 per cent on the government.</p> <p>When asked about the most visible source of rising prices, three in five people said groceries, followed by utilities at 21 per cent and transport at seven per cent.</p> <p>The findings are considerably different to a recent Resolve Political Monitor poll, which found 36 per cent of respondents held governments most responsible for living costs.</p> <p>Another 13 per cent blamed global factors outside Australia's control and the same number of people held businesses responsible.</p> <p>Leah Heap, who co-wrote the Australia Institute report, said the message from consumers was loud and clear.</p> <p>"Australians are pointing the finger at supermarkets as public enemy number one in the cost-of-living crisis," she said.</p> <p>"It's clear Australia's supermarket duopoly is on the nose with the electorate."</p> <p>A Woolworths spokeswoman said there were a range of factors behind rising costs.</p> <p>"Many of the increased costs households are facing are also unfortunately making it more expensive for our suppliers to producers food and groceries - from electricity and fuel, to rent and interest rates," she said.</p> <p>Coles was contacted for comment.</p> <p>The two retail giants have for months been accused of ripping off suppliers, suffocating competitors and price-gouging customers.</p> <p>The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has taken Coles and Woolworths to the Federal Court, after accusing them of misleading discount pricing claims.</p> <p>Anthony Albanese has gone after the two supermarkets for shrinkflation - when items decrease in size or quantity while the prices stay the same.</p> <p>The Nationals have been pushing for the forced break-up of the giants, while Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has accused them of muscling out competition by keeping undeveloped land near their stores.</p> <p>Almost two in three participants in the Australia Institute research said it was important to increase competition in the supermarket sector.</p> <p>The same number of people said it was important to lower the cost of utilities to relieve cost-of-living pressures.</p> <p>The survey comes as the federal government pledged $30 million for the consumer watchdog to investigate wrongdoing in the supermarket sector.</p> <p>It found cost-of-living pressures were also impacting on people spending less on essential items.</p> <p>More than a third of respondents spent less on heating or cooling in their home, two in five people shunned healthy food and 26 per cent cut back on GP visits.</p> <p>"Addressing the cost-of-living crisis requires a multi-dimensional approach, rather than a singular reliance on high interest rates to slow inflation," Ms Heap said in the report.</p> </body>