FED: Reith not fit for small business: Grocers

AAP General News (Australia)
04-13-1999
FED: Reith not fit for small business: Grocers

Australia's grocers have criticised Small Business Minister PETER REITH for pre-empting his
own inquiry into the retail sector and for favouring the big end of town.

A report in today's Australian Financial Review said Mr REITH had backed efforts by the
nation's three major grocery chains to resist an 80 per cent cap on their market share.

The issue is the subject of a parliamentary inquiry into retail sector concentration.

The newspaper said Mr REITH had hailed the government's free market stand at a Gold Coast
conference this week, while questioning figures putting the dry goods grocery market share of
Coles Myer, Woolworths and Franklins at 80 per cent.

The minister reportedly described as REPUTABLE alternative calculations put forward by
Woolworths and Coles, which put their market reach at between 43 and 47 per cent.

The National Association of Retail Grocers says if the newspaper report is correct, Mr
REITH has pre-empted his own parliamentary inquiry to support big business.

AAP RTV rft/sc/msk/jn

KEYWORD: RETAIL (CANBERRA)

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