THE HON DAVID LITTLEPROUD MP
Leader of The Nationals
Shadow Agriculture Minister
7 January 2026
Farmers still suffering at the hands of big supermarkets in 2026
Leader of The Nationals David Littleproud said farmers would still hurt in 2026 at the hands of big supermarkets, after Labor had failed to act and fully implement its Australian Competition and Consumer Commission price inquiry report.
This is despite Labor saying prior to the election, it would firstly implement the ACCC recommendations, but it is now almost 300 days since the report and hardly any recommendations have been implemented.
Prior to the election, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese promised;
“We will, if we are elected, implement firstly the ACCC’s supermarket inquiry recommendations. That’s about improving transparency.”
Mr Littleproud said farmers are continuing to have margins squeezed and with 40 per cent of vegetable farmers considering leaving the industry this is of great concern to Australia’s farmers and food security.
“Action should have been taken by now,” Mr Littleproud said.
“Recommendations to assist balance supermarket buying power relate to providing information about supply forecasts, harmonisation of accreditation and auditing requirements, and transparency in weekly processes, wholesale fresh produce prices or volumes, rebates suppliers pay to supermarkets and how supplier funding contributions to their inhouse retails media services are used.
“The large supermarkets are the market, which means suppliers still have little bargaining power and can still be treated unfairly in 2026.
“This will have enormous implications in 2026, because fresh food suppliers are particularly vulnerable in negotiations with large supermarkets.
“In addition, training of farmers and suppliers to understand their rights under the mandatory food and grocery code of conduct and to build their capacity to negotiate with supermarkets won’t begin until at least February, nine months since Labor promised to implement it.
“That’s why The Nationals are calling for divesture powers. We need big stick legislation to hold supermarkets to account, and so a future Coalition government will introduce big stick competition laws, ensuring fairness for families and farmers.
“We also need stronger on the spot fines of $2 million and audits at anytime of supermarkets, as well as a Supermarket Commissioner, to act as a confidential avenue for farmers and suppliers to also address the fear of retribution.
“This would be a game-changer for farmers and suppliers because it would change culture and protect those who need it most.”
Potato and cattle farmer Trevor Hall said profitability is the main issue for farmers and what farmers are paid at the farmgate compared to what families pay at the checkout, but families are unaware due to the lack of transparency and also farmers’ lack of bargaining power.
“I am earning $500 a tonne for potatoes but that really needs to be $700 a tonne to continue,” Mr Hall said.
“On the vegetable side of things, the vegetable industry in Australia is going to struggle because our input, machinery and labour costs are so dear.
“But a lot of the smaller vegetable growers will take the impact and so we will bear the brunt, meaning conditions in 2026 will only get worse.”
Mr Littleproud added the Albanese Labor Government took over two years to make the Food and Grocery Code mandatory after it was called for by The Nationals, and then three months to get a price inquiry after The Nationals called for it.
“Now, in 2026, the implementation of the recommendations from the price inquiry are still taking time – the urgency is just not there,” Mr Littleproud said.
