Former Woolworths CEO says supermarket is not competitive on price during ACCC hearing

As Australia’s two biggest supermarket chains battle a brand crisis on the back of a newly-launched class action suit, the former CEO of Woolworths claims that the company has not been competitive when it comes to pricing.

Per the AFR, Brad Banducci and now-CEO, Amanda Bardwell, fronted an Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) public hearing on Monday regarding the supermarket sector.

Bardwell and Banducci – who stepped down as CEO in September after serving in the head role from August 2021 – argued that Woolworths’ competitive spirit is about more than price.

Banducci said that while price is an important factor, customers are also concerned about freshness of products and their longevity.