The WA Retail and Small Business Association plans to campaign on a national level to restrict the growth of Australia’s major supermarkets.
The association, officially launched this week, has already held discussions with Federal Opposition leader Mark Latham, Deputy Prime Minister John Anderson and Federal Minister for Finance Nick Minchin.
Speaking at the association’s launch WARSBA president Greg Dean (also president of the Independent Grocer’s Association) said the organisation would lobby against the big chains’ increasing market share dominance.
“We want to have percentage share capping of market share by restricting the national companies by capping their growth,” Mr Dean said.
State Opposition leader Colin Barnett, who officially launched the association, agreed market dominance was a major issue.
“The biggest issue is not trading hours, it is the market domination of the two major chains,” Mr Barnett said.
“In WA, Coles and Woolworths control 61 per cent of retail sales. In a bigger national market where you would expect to see more players they have 76 per cent of the market.”
WARSBA represents the interests of a number of associations including the Australian Hotels Association, Pharmacy Guild of WA, Motor Trades Association of WA and The Chamber of Fruit and Vegetable Industries WA.