Media Release

KAP Leader and Federal Member for Kennedy Bob Katter has labelled leading supermarket giant’s move to sell loaves of sliced bread at 85 cents, as both a “cruel and terrible” form of torment to small bakeries which are being strangled by the supermarket duopoly.

“The supermarket giants are blatantly using their muscle power to get market advantage this is not legal in other countries including America where they have the Robinson-Patman Act,” said Mr Katter.

The Robinson–Patman Act of 1936 is a United States’ Federal Law which prohibits anticompetitive practices by producers in particular price discrimination, which developed from giant chain stores being allowed to purchase goods at lower prices than other retailers.

“You can’t tell me a small local bakery can compete with a giant supermarket that is producing, transporting and selling a loaf of sliced bread for 85 cents,” Mr Katter said.

“What is the government doing to look after small business in Australia? When is the ‘LNP/ALP Corporation’ that is running Australia going to give small business a go?

“This is no longer the ‘land of opportunity’, unless you have a couple of million dollars to compete with the big boys.

“God help the poor grain producers and family operated businesses in Australia.

“The LNP and ALP stand on the lines and cheer the major supermarkets anti-competitive behaviour and then highlight pontification on how they support small business. A sewage plant would smell better than them.

“The announcement of bread at 85 cents a loaf confirms that we need to take immediate action and legislate to curb the stronghold that the major supermarkets have on the food industry,” said Mr Katter.

Mr Katter introduced into the Parliament the Reducing Supermarket Dominance Bill 2013 which makes it illegal for the supermarket giants to own more than 20 per cent market share within a group of companies, also addressing the intrusion into hardware, liquor, petrol and other industries such as pharmacies and insurance.