Announcement of the inquiry
调查公告

On 25 January 2024, the Australian Government announced that it will direct the ACCC to conduct an inquiry into Australia’s supermarket sector.
2024 年 1 月 25 日,澳大利亚政府宣布将指示 ACCC 对澳大利亚的超市行业进行调查。

The inquiry will examine the pricing practices of the supermarkets and the relationship between wholesale, including farmgate, and retail prices.
该调查将审查超市的定价做法以及批发(包括农场交货)与零售价格之间的关系。

The formal direction from the Australian Government was received on 1 February 2024, including the terms of reference.
2024 年 2 月 1 日收到了澳大利亚政府的正式指示,包括职权范围。

Timeframe 时间范围

The supermarkets inquiry will run for one year.
超市调查将持续一年。

On 29 February 2024, we published an issues paper and consumer survey seeking views on the key issues we will consider in this inquiry.
2024 年 2 月 29 日,我们发布了一份问题文件和消费者调查,就我们将在本次调查中考虑的关键问题征求意见。

The ACCC provided an interim report to the Australian Government by 31 August 2024.
ACCC 在 2024 年 8 月 31 日之前向澳大利亚政府提交了一份中期报告。

The final report is due to be provided no later than 28 February 2025.
最终报告应在 2025 年 2 月 28 日之前提供。

Legal basis for the inquiry
调查的法律依据

Under Part VIIA of the Competition and Consumer Act 2010, the Treasurer can direct the ACCC to hold a price inquiry into a particular matter.
根据 2010 年《竞争与消费者法》第 VIIA 部分,财政部长可以指示 ACCC 对特定事项进行价格调查。

A price inquiry allows the ACCC to use its compulsory information-gathering powers to collect information from the relevant parties subject to the inquiry.
价格查询允许 ACCC 使用其强制性信息收集权力,从受查询的相关方收集信息。

Enforcement proceedings 执行程序

The ACCC has commenced separate proceedings in the Federal Court against Woolworths Group Limited and Coles Supermarkets Australia Pty Ltd for allegedly breaching the Australian Consumer Law by misleading consumers through discount pricing claims on hundreds of common supermarket products.
ACCC 已在联邦法院对 Woolworths Group Limited 和 Coles Supermarkets 澳大利亚私人有限公司提起单独的诉讼,指控他们通过对数百种常见超市产品的折扣价格索赔误导消费者,从而违反了《澳大利亚消费者法》。

The ACCC’s investigation into the conduct, which is the subject of these proceedings, pre-dates the Supermarkets Inquiry. The Inquiry will not consider the issues in dispute in the proceedings.
ACCC 对该行为的调查是这些诉讼的主题,早于超市调查。调查组不会考虑诉讼程序中的争议问题。

For more information, see: ACCC takes Woolworths and Coles to court over alleged misleading ‘Prices Dropped’ and ‘Down Down’ claims.
有关更多信息,请参阅:ACCC 将 Woolworths 和 Coles 告上法庭,指控其存在误导性的“降价”和“降价”声明

See also 另请参阅

Media release: ACCC to examine prices and competition in supermarket sector, 25 January 2024
媒体发布:ACCC 将审查超市行业的价格和竞争,2024 年 1 月 25 日

Competition and Consumer (Price Inquiry—Supermarkets) Direction 2024
竞争与消费者(价格查询 — 超市)方向 2024
(link is external)

Timeline 时间线