‍CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA — A scathing new report from Australia’s competition regulator has revealed what struggling families across the country already suspected: the nation’s top supermarket chains grew their profit margins while everyday Australians were forced to make painful sacrifices just to put food on the table.

According to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), the country’s two largest grocery retailers—Woolworths and Coles—have quietly expanded their profit margins during the cost-of-living crisis, fueling accusations of corporate greed, price manipulation, and cartel-like behavior in the essential food supply chain.

Greed in the Aisles

The ACCC report found that while the prices of groceries soared amid inflationary pressure, fuel hikes, and global supply chain instability, the big supermarkets not only passed those costs on to consumers but increased their markups in the process. This meant even as Australians were cutting back, skipping meals, and relying on food banks at record levels, corporate giants were posting billion-dollar profits.

“This is profiteering, plain and simple,” said one former regulator quoted in the report. “They used a national crisis as cover to quietly raise prices above inflation, knowing most families had no other option.”

While the report stops short of declaring illegal conduct, it paints a damning picture of a marketplace dominated by two massive players with little incentive to compete on price or transparency.

The Price of Consolidation

What’s happening in Australia is a cautionary tale for Western nations increasingly at the mercy of consolidated corporate power. When two supermarket giants control a vast majority of the nation’s grocery supply, true competition disappears. With no meaningful alternative for consumers, the free market ceases to function.

This duopoly model mirrors what we’ve seen in other sectors—from media and tech to agriculture—where the illusion of consumer choice masks a deeper reality: coordinated control and profit-maximizing at the expense of working families.

Political Silence and Corporate Ties

Despite the report’s findings, the Australian government has so far stopped short of proposing any major penalties or reforms. Critics accuse elected officials of being too cozy with corporate lobbyists, unwilling to challenge powerful institutions even when public trust is eroding.

Meanwhile, Australian families continue to bear the brunt. Local producers are squeezed by harsh wholesale contracts. Shoppers pay inflated prices for basic necessities. And corporate executives continue to cash out—often while publicly promoting “corporate responsibility.”

Conclusion

The ACCC report confirms what many have long feared: Australia’s grocery giants used a national crisis to quietly enrich themselves while the public suffered. This is not merely a business story—it’s a moral indictment of what happens when unchecked corporate power meets government complacency.

For conservatives and everyday Australians alike, the message is clear: accountability and market fairness must be restored before another crisis deepens the divide between elite boardrooms and struggling households.

References

• Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) – Grocery Sector Report (2025)
• The Guardian – “Coles and Woolworths grew profit margins as living costs surged, says ACCC” (2025)
• Sydney Morning Herald – Economic Analysis (2025)
• Australian Bureau of Statistics – Food Price Index (2024–2025)