Here we have governments wanting to increase the number of competitors in the retail sector all in the name of 'fair competition'.

We are already struggling to plug all the holes as the amount of financial strain on the public purse is fast approaching negative territory, whereby the inputs are being weighed down by the outgoings, yet we continue to support this way of shopping.

We have pensioners saying how tough life is, yet, drive past any Aldi store on pension day and they are queuing up ready to buy those 'mostly imported' goods, knowing full well they are depriving local jobs. The very jobs that they (indirectly) rely on to generate taxes to pay pensions.

We have people constantly complaining about the big boys market domination, yet, they would not be so dominant if the masses didn't shop there.

Where is it all going to end?

rehctub,most of us totally agree.Even the right wing Alan Jones is constantly throwing barbs at our Govts toadying to the large corporates.

Currently I'm using Farmers Direct and they will deliver fresh fruit,veg dairy,and meat at competitive prices.So vote with your feet.

I don't know what difference there is between Aldi's "mostly imported" goods and the "mostly imported" goods from Coles or Woolworths, except maybe the price. That's why the pensioners go there.

I've heard that since they moved into booze and petrol plus with their other subsidiaries, between them those "Big Two" take about 23 cents of every dollar spent in this country and it's all "mostly imported".

I say let in a few more big foreign companies. The goods will all be the same, the jobs will still be local but at least there may be more competition. Let them fight for those dollars we hand over instead of acting like a cartel.

Bashing the big two, Coles and Woolies, has almost become a sport
for Channel 7. Its pretty easy to do as well.

Personally I think that overall, they both provide value for money.
Both are public companies, owned basically by millions of super
fund account holders, plus a few hundred thousand so called mums
and dads, mostly grey nomads, who put their pennies away to pay
for their own retirement.

Being public corporations, we know all about their figures. Coles
work on a net margin of around 3%, Woolies about 4-5%, as they
have a better logistics system in place.

Aldi works on a different plan. Cut staff, cut overheads, cut
everything. Profits from Aldi go to their owners, two of the
wealthiest men in the world, a couple of brothers, who are German.

Personally I prefer that profits stay in Australia, those grey nomads
etc deserve their dividends. If they were all sucking on the public
purse, we would all be far worse off.

I certainly don't think that 3% or 5% net profit, could be called
profiteering, as the popular press like to imply. Its great heart
on your sleeve stuff for tv, but its hardly factual.