He says he will be demanding answers about why farmers and growers are getting less for their produce and stock, while Queenslanders continue to pay record-high prices at the checkout.
“I’ll be asking them to explain to me that difference between the reduction we’ve seen in the prices that farmers are getting for their produce, whereas the price of the food that Queenslanders buy to feed their families has not gone down nearly as much,” Miles told 9News.
The Premier says he has seen the explanation by supermarket chains about higher food prices, but wants to quiz bosses in detail about them.
“I want them to know that Queenslanders are looking very closely at their behaviour now,” he said.
Miles also said the feedback he is getting from families is that many of them are turning to processed fast foods because they can no longer afford to shop for healthier foods at supermarkets.
His intervention comes after the the Albanese government announced earlier this month an independent inquiry headed by former Labor cabinet minister Craig Emerson will review the Food and Grocery Code of Conduct.
The code regulates how Aldi, Coles, Woolworths and IGA operator Metcash deal with suppliers and customers.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the government is also working with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACC) to crack down on what he described as ‘an abuse of power’.
A Senate inquiry will investigate the power and practices of giants like Coles and Woolworths.
All the major supermarkets have denied that they are price gouging
