Get the appA quick trip for milk can easily end with a basket of unplanned chips, chocolates and sugary cereal. Supermarkets are carefully designed to hold shoppers' attention and encourage spending, often without people noticing in the moment. The industry gathers and analyses data on shoppers to shape strategies that encourage them to buy and eat more. An interactive story sets out five tactics from the supermarket playbook.
Vegetable supplier Perfection Fresh has admitted to 11 breaches of competition law between 2019 and 2020. The breaches involved fixing prices of broccoli, cauliflower and iceberg lettuce supplied to Aldi in NSW. The company has agreed to pay a $12 million penalty and set up a compliance program, the competition watchdog said. The Federal Court will have the final say on the amount. Cases against three other Aldi suppliers and three individuals remain before the court.
Aldi has the highest average Google rating among WA's three major supermarket chains, based on customer reviews. Woolworths Perth Airport earned the best individual store rating in the state, at 4.46 stars. Shoppers praised clean stores, helpful staff and easy parking. Common complaints included checkout queues, empty shelves and poor service. Woolworths Cottesloe, Coles Kununurra and Aldi Mirrabooka were the lowest-rated stores in their chains.
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Get the appA shortage of bananas has hit Australian supermarket shelves, with Coles, Woolworths and Aldi showing sparse displays or very green stock. Cool weather in key Queensland growing regions has slowed production. Woolworths said fresh stock is arriving daily, and the Australian Banana Growers' Council expects supply to recover as temperatures rise. Prices for stone fruit are expected to fall in coming weeks, and mangoes are becoming cheaper as an alternative for lunchboxes.
The combined profits of Coles and Woolworths in 2025/26 could feed more than 1.5 million needy children for a year, a Greens-affiliated think tank says. The Green Institute's analysis is supporting its call for a chain of government-owned supermarkets selling cheap groceries. The institute estimates between 757,000 and one million children live in poverty across Australia. It says the two chains' profits rose 58 and 41 per cent since 2019, while real wages fell 6 per cent. The plan would cost $25.1 billion over five years, according to its modelling.
Shoppers across the country are finding bare banana shelves at Coles, Woolworths and Aldi. Woolworths says unusually cool weather has slowed banana growth in Far North Queensland, limiting stock, and expects supply to return by November. Coles says banana varieties may vary because of challenging growing conditions. Some stores are displaying fewer varieties or greener bananas. Nearly 95 per cent of the nation's bananas are grown in North Queensland, and cooler spring weather slows their growth.
Hackers raised temperatures on fridges and freezers at hundreds of French supermarkets, spoiling food worth millions of euros. Les Mousquetaires said fridges at about 150 of its stores were heated to 50 degrees Celsius overnight. French authorities are investigating, and a software vulnerability linked to Danish company Danfoss has been identified. Australian cyber security experts say supermarkets using similar centralised systems could face similar attacks, though the exact method remains unconfirmed.
Hackers have raised temperatures in hundreds of French supermarkets' fridges to 50 degrees Celsius, causing fires and spoiling food. The Paris prosecutor's office confirmed a large-scale attack on connected refrigerators across several major retailers. Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu has instructed France's National Cybersecurity Agency to investigate, with authorities assessing potential risks to other companies. Carrefour, Monoprix, and Intermarché reported significant disruptions, with Intermarché estimating losses of tens of millions of euros nationwide in a single day.
New Greens leader David Shoebridge has backed a proposal for publicly owned supermarkets to challenge the Coles and Woolworths duopoly. The Greens' Victorian branch has pledged $300 million to build 10 state-owned supermarkets. The party reports 884 new members in the week after the leadership change, though One Nation claims between 60,000 and 70,000 members. Shoebridge says the Greens want to build a mass movement and replace Labor. Its vote has stayed near 12 per cent for years, and some progressives have turned to other groups.
Hackers forced the temperature of many French supermarket fridges up to 50C overnight, causing fires and food losses at several hundred stores. Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu ordered France's National Cybersecurity Agency, ANSSI, to investigate. Carrefour said 80 of its supermarkets were hit, while Les Mousquetaires said fridges at about 150 Intermarche stores were heated for six hours. Officials said Spain, Portugal, Poland, Germany and Belgium may also be affected. Danfoss said affected units were running outdated firmware.
Australia's peak grocery body has rejected a Greens plan to take over more than 200 Coles and Woolworths stores in a $25 billion move. The proposal, put forward by Greens Institute executive director Max Chandler-Mather, was inspired by New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani's plan for city-owned grocery stores. Greens leader David Shoebridge said the plan would start breaking up the duopoly and could lead to cheaper prices. Australian Food and Grocery Council chief executive Colm Maguire said the focus should instead be on removing barriers and increasing competition. The New Zealand Greens have also announced plans to nationalise supermarkets.
The Greens are challenging Labor's economic and foreign policies, arguing that the system fails to serve ordinary Australians. They propose publicly owned supermarkets to address rising grocery costs and corporate profits, but must demonstrate how this would ensure affordable food, reliable supply and accountable management. The party also questions expensive military commitments like AUKUS, raising concerns about Australian sovereignty and spending priorities. Additionally, they face pressure to clarify their stance on Palestine and Zionism, requiring careful political messaging. The Greens aim to turn voter frustration into support for ambitious reforms, but must provide clear, persuasive solutions.
The Australian sharemarket has fallen 0.8 per cent in a second straight session, led by declines in major miners and banks. BHP dropped more than 2 per cent, while Fortescue also lost ground amid concerns about China's demand for Australian iron ore. Energy stocks like Woodside and Ampol rose, along with supermarket giants Coles and Woolworths. The Australian dollar is trading at around 69.5 US cents.
The Victorian Greens, Coalition and Labor government have made competing pledges ahead of the November 28 state election. The Greens plan to trial 10 state-funded supermarkets, while the Opposition will fund a new cancer treatment at Melbourne's Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre. The Labor government has promised 150 new fire trucks by 2030. The Coalition claims the cancer treatment would cost more than budgeted.
The Victorian Greens, Coalition and Labor government have made competing pledges ahead of the November 28 state election. The Greens plan to trial 10 state-funded supermarkets, while the Opposition will fund a new cancer treatment at Melbourne's Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre. The Labor government has promised 150 new fire trucks by 2030. The Coalition claims the cancer treatment would cost more than budgeted.
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Get the appThe Greens have promised to build 10 government-owned supermarkets across Victoria, offering groceries at up to 30 per cent discounts. The party will commit $300 million to the project, with five stores in Melbourne and five in regional areas. Victorian Greens leader Ellen Sandell said the initiative was inspired by a similar proposal in New York City. The Greens also pledged $1 billion over four years for community safety programs, including crisis outreach teams and mental health services, also inspired by New York City policies.
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.
The Greens' research arm has proposed a national chain of government-run supermarkets to address high grocery prices and market concentration. Coles and Woolworths dominate about two-thirds of the market, with Aldi holding 9%. The Greens claim the $25.1 billion proposal would create 624 stores and 13 distribution centres, becoming cost-neutral after five years. Critics argue replicating private supermarket services and competing on scale would be challenging, and government ownership could lead to political interference in pricing.