The Australia Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has cleared Australian supermarket giant Woolworths of any wrongdoing in its funding of an advertising campaign headed up by British celebrity chef Jamie Oliver.
Despite claims that growers were force to pay a 40-cent per crate levy on produce sold to Woolworths, ACCC has said it had not received any evidence that suppliers were unfairly charged, with Woolworths maintaining that the levy was voluntary.
The case has been closed, but Rod Sims, chairman of the ACCC, has told ABC Rural that the case will be reopened if new evidence comes to lights.
“It is also important to close the public record where an investigation has been referred to in the public domain, but not ultimately actioned for absence of evidence,” said Sims. “I also raise this matter to underline the importance of witnesses coming forward to inform the ACCC about conduct of concern.”
Peak industry body Ausveg has largely led the campaign against Woolworths, releasing a statement last week saying it still stands by its claim that suppliers were pressured to pay the levy.
“We know this to be the case because leading growers from around the country approached us with their concerns, and that’s why we went public,” said AUSVEG spokesperson Andrew MacDonald. “From the outset AUSVEG maintained that many growers were afraid to go on the public record regarding their concerns about contributing to the campaign because they were worried about possible reprisals in terms of their future business dealings with the supermarket giant.
“This is completely understandable given Woolworths is the largest customer for many of these growers.”
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