Hit the nail on the head with this one, Ross!
Alan B.

Unless you live in the bush (most of us don't) there are options to the supermarket “duopoly”, which many shoppers who make their own decisions, instead of whining about the people making them for them, have taken up in droves. Even in the bush, little towns have local-family-run supermarkets. In South Australia at least, big supermarkets have been blocked by townspeople.

Customers have the power; they are just too timid to use it, and would prefer Big Government to fix everything - even if it means enslaving themselves. There is a Big Price to pay for getting, even allowing, Big Government to do things that you can, and should, do for yourself.

Walk away from the Big Two. Don't wait for another government enquiry that will do nothing. Big Business helps Big Government: think Voice, think Covid, think Censorship.

The so-called enquiry had a result even before it started.

Go to the BIG TWO, C`n W, rarely these days. Only if necessary. In the past I lived in a town in the NT where Woolworths was the only supermarket. They were expensive and dumped their, almost, out of date stuff there.
Locally, and luckily, in Adelaide, I have many good alternatives and fortunately have the time to make a supermarket circuit weekly and obtain what is needed, usually at a better then C`n W prices. Aldi I rarely visit as I consider their 1 cent "cheaper" price not worth the effort. Although, penny pincher that I am, I usually buy three items at Aldi, on the rare occasion I visit, for which I pay cash after ensuring that the total will be rounded down. More as a challenge if anything.

Our 'Bush' IGA has prices based not on freight cost but on pure shareholder greed !

The worst days work our local co-op did was to sell our community owned IGA to a private operator. Other than that, when the local hardware store changed hands. Was not a community focused change.

Changing tap washers and tap seats, a job for a handyman rather than a (charging like wounded bulls) millionaire plumbers.
Alan B.

ateday,

You are acting in a way increasingly rare way for Australians expecting the government to look after them: you are doing something for yourself.

Aldi. You have to pack your own bags. Customers who (rightly) complain about DIY checkouts don't seem to mind Aldi's version of no service. They have been lulled by the "Aldi good, better" crap and a couple of cents off weirdo brands.

Consumers' only controls in the market are how much they spend and where they spend it. If they used that control, they could forget about Big Brother - who colludes with Big Business anyway - and be wealthier and more independent.