Supabarn shoppers promise boycott of Coles as ACCC clears way for Coles purchase

Shoppers were angry and devastated on Thursday by news the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission had cleared the way for Coles to buy the Supabarn stores at Wanniassa, Canberra Centre and Kaleen in the ACT and Five Dock and Sutherland in NSW. The Crace, Kingston and Casey Supabarns will not not be sold.

Coles has confirmed it is buying the five stores in NSW and the ACT and promising to spend $22 million upgrading them.

It would not comment on speculation Coles might replace the Supabarn stores by June.

Coles also said in a statement that "all existing Supabarn store employees will be given the opportunity to continue working in their store for Coles".

At Wanniassa, it was difficult to find anyone who supported Coles taking over the Supabarn store there.

Belinda Black, of Oxley, said her family had made a "conscious decision" not to shop at Coles or Woolworths and had stuck to that for the last 18 months, shopping instead at Supabarn and the Fyshwick markets.

She preferred the products that Supabarn sold and believed it was easier to shop there for her three children who were "additive and preservative-free".

Mrs Black said she would change her schedules and shop at other Supabarn stores.

"I'm actually pretty devastated," she said. "The ACCC got it wrong.

"It's the quality of the fruit and veg here and the quality's just going to deteriorate, that's our biggest concern."

Lyndall Thorn, of Chifley, said she always shopped at Supabarn in Wanniassa and when her family had previously lived in Forde, shopped at the Supabarn in Kaleen.

"I deliberately come to Supabarn because I don't want to go to Coles or Woolies," she said.

"I just like that it's not Coles or Woolies. They have a nice variety. The local Pialligo bacon and stuff like that."

Ms Thorn said she "had no idea" where she would shop once Coles moved in.

Robert Aylen of Wanniassa said "he didn't want to go to Woolworths, we're not happy with them, and we're equally unhappy about Coles".

"Supabarn is independent and we can get things here that we can't get at the other places," he said.

Emma Paton, of Wanniassa, said was upset there would be fewer options for shoppers.

"I think it's a huge disappointment for local businesses," she said.

"They [Coles and Woolworths] have the monopoly as it is, especially in the bigger states and territories, and it's just a bit disappointing it's happening here.

"There's a lot more variety in Supabarn. I get a little bit frustrated with Woolworths especially, with their Select brand. You often don't have an option but to buy the Select brand. I do like they have different things here you can't get in the mainstream stores."

Mrs Paton said she also liked the fact Supabarn did not have self-serve counters which provided for more jobs.

Robyn Soxsmith, of Kambah, said she, too, liked the variety at Supabarn.

"Particularly as a vegan, I find they have a good supply of things that I need, so I'm very disappointed," she said.

David Hagan, of Wanniassa, said a Coles-Woolworths duopoly seemed inevitable.

"I think it's terrible businesses of this size are being squeezed out by larger concerns," he said.

"Where's the next independent corner store? Not close by."

Mr Hagan said he was concerned for the future of Supabarn staff.

"I think most of the people here do a good job so I would hope that Coles take them on and continue their entitlements as they are," he said.

Bob Cox, of Holder, said he would not be shopping at Coles.

"I'll go to one of the other stores that hasn't been taken over. There's too many monopolies," he said

"Paul", of Wanniassa, said he shopped at Supabarn daily.

"It's always been here for me, Supabarn. It's familiar," he said.

"There are excellent staff here, very helpful."

Quan Nguyen, owner of the Vina Bakehouse, at Wanniassa, was more sanguine, saying he couldn't blame the Koundouris family for wanting to sell off some of its Supabarn assets and "who else can buy it" than Woolworths or Coles.

"There's nothing you can do," he said.

However, Vince Torcasia, owner of the Wanniassa takeaway, said he believed the ACCC was "naive" on what constituted a reduction in competition.

"Because the ACCC, unfortunately, doesn't seem to see a monopoly when the average Joe, who has been in business for more than 20 years, can see it quite vividly," he said.