Supermarkets and prices. One of the things that has me most bemused about the Coalition this year is their continued opposition to and belittling of any initiative to make the retail grocery market more transparent – whether it’s web based price comparison or unit pricing. — Larvatus Prodeo

Grocery prices – the ACCC report. On what I’ve read so far in the report, and in the media, too much is made of the conclusion that the market is “workably competitive”. The implication is being drawn is that there isn’t much we can do to improve things and that measures that the government wants to introduce like GroceryChoice, unit pricing, relaxation of some zoning rules etc are therefore pointless. — Tim Dunlop

Checked out. Of course, if you are looking for interest [in the ACCC report], it is all in Appendix D (the econometric analysis). To my shock, not a single newspaper reports on this today. In that appendix the ACCC looks at the impact of local competition on major supermarket chains. — CORE Economics

Grocerychoice.com.au. Just over half of Aussie shoppers (including me) don’t compare prices before going shopping. Can you imagine older people on a pension hopping on a web site to look at a generic basket of goods and work out that it is cheaper to shop at Coles this week. — Adelaide Green Porridge Cafe