The Victorian Greens have announced a plan for publicly owned local supermarkets, the first of its kind in Australia, with essential groceries 30% cheaper than the duopoly supermarkets.
New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani is opening five city-owned grocery stores with 30% off the basics. The Greens would trial 10 publicly-owned local supermarkets in Victoria: five in Melbourne and five in the regions. The Greens would also empower the Essential Services Commission to regulate supermarket prices on key essential items, bringing down grocery costs for all Victorians.
These publicly-owned supermarkets would give Victorians a cheaper option for their weekly shop, and take on the price-gouging supermarket duopoly. Backed by analysis from The Green Institute, these lower prices are made possible by slashing the profits of Coles and Woolworths, and eliminating wasteful expenses, like million-dollar advertising budgets, CEO salaries and bonuses, and shareholder dividends.
The trial would deliver:
– Ten publicly-owned local supermarkets in key areas of food stress across Victoria, delivering cheaper groceries by cutting out the profit-driven price-tag.
-Essentials like bread, milk, eggs, meat, fruit, veg and nappies will be 30% cheaper compared to the major supermarkets by cutting out the excessive profits and price-gouging of the major supermarkets.
-Backing Victorian suppliers with locally-sourced food and drink products and seasonal produce.
-Empower the ESC to set maximum prices for key essential grocery items across all supermarkets to stop supermarket price-gouging on essentials, and to set minimum farm-gate prices to protect Victorian farmers, growers and producers from the predatory tactics of the big duopoly supermarkets.
The Greens plan would see an everyday shop for essentials at a publicly-owned supermarket cost 30% less compared to Coles and Woolworths, saving an average Victorian household $82.20 a week, or $4,274 a year. The Greens are committing $350m over the next four years to fund the trial of these supermarkets plus supercharging the Essential Services Commission, paid for by taxing big banks and the gambling industry – which costs less than the Labor Government will spend on luxury upgrades to the Grand Prix.
Food and beverage prices have risen 31% since 2019 while wages have risen 22.5%. Despite inquiry after inquiry, Labor refuses to bring prices down. Only the Greens can bring down the cost of groceries while supporting Victorian farmers, because unlike Labor, the Liberal National Coalition and One Nation, the Greens don’t take dodgy corporate donations.
As stated by Victorian Greens Leader Ellen Sandell:
“Everyone should be able to afford healthy food, but Coles and Woolworths are making billions while people walk around the supermarket putting things back on the shelf because they simply can’t afford them.
“If publicly owned supermarkets can work in New York, they can work in Victoria. Zohran Mamdani has shown there’s nothing inevitable about giant corporations getting richer while ordinary people struggle to afford food – and we can change things.
“Labor will spend up to $395 million on corporate luxury box upgrades at the Grand Prix, but the Greens would rather use that money to change the system so that people afford their groceries.”
As stated by Economic Justice & Consumer Rights spokesperson Aiv Puglielli:
“Coles and Woolworths squeeze shoppers at the checkout and farmers at the farm gate. Our publicly-owned supermarkets will exist to ensure people can get the food they need at affordable prices. The Greens will cut the profits, while backing the farmers.
“These publicly owned local supermarkets will finally give Victorians a genuine alternative, and with a supercharged Essential Services Commission, we’ll stop the supermarket duopoly price gouging on essentials.
“Only the Greens will cut corporate profits and put affordable groceries back in the hands of Victorians.”
