Why a Greens’ plan for 624 public supermarkets to take on Woolies and Coles just doesn’t add up

Key points

• The Green Institute has proposed a national chain of 624 publicly owned supermarkets, starting with forcing Woolworths and Coles to sell 200 stores. The plan aims to cut household grocery bills by 22%, or about A$60 a week for an average household.
• The projected cost is A$25.1 billion over five years, which is more than the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme costs annually.
• The proposal has not been formally endorsed by the Australian Greens, but new leader David Shoebridge says publicly owned supermarkets should be considered.