The CEOs of supermarket giants Coles and Woolworths will face a Senate inquiry today as the government continues to probe allegations of price gouging.
Yesterday, whistleblower Abdel Badura spoke to the committee and dropped bombshell claims about his time working for suppliers to the big grocers.
"During this time I have witnessed the tactics and practices Australia's supermarket duopoly Coles and Woolworths deploy to price gouge suppliers and ultimately customers," Badura said.
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An interim review of the voluntary supermarket code of conduct has already recommended instituting heavy fines should sustained price gouging be proven.
However, it advised against forcing supermarkets to sell off interests through so-called divestiture laws, which a number of cross-party Senators have called for.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also indicated he would not be inclined to force sell-offs due to the potential impact on competition.
Woolworths and Coles both support making the code of conduct mandatory, and Woolworths has called for its expansion, suggesting it also apply to US-based rivals Costco and Amazon.
Last week, Greens senator Nick McKim, who chairs the committee, said outgoing Woolworths CEO Brad Banducci and Coles CEO Leah Weckert could expect to face tough lines of questioning during the hearings.
Both supermarket giants have both previously denied price gouging and defended their conduct towards suppliers.
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