Canberra-based Supabarn has applied for a direct sale of land at Kingston for a new supermarket, after the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission's recommendations for the grocery industry.
The ACT Government-owned car park has become a battleground in the retailing war on grocery prices. Woolworths and Coles want the site, as does ACT furniture retailer Cusack's.
Supabarn managing director Eric Koundouris said the ACCC report contained important recommendations for the ACT supermarket sector.
He said recommendations about planning laws showed a clear need to encourage competition and new entrants into the sector, and confirmed he had approached the Government for the prime Kingston site.
''Granting this site to Supabarn would be an immediate adoption of the ACCC recommendation and the ACT would be leading the way.
''The ACCC also indicates that it would be taking a stronger attitude about acquisitions by the major supermarkets. Hopefully this will stop the increasing dominance of the ACT grocery market by the majors and provide expansion opportunities for full service independents such as Supabarn.
''As planning is a state and local government issue, Supabarn now urges the ACT Government to implement the ACCC recommendations as a matter of urgency.''
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