The Green Institute, the Greens’ think tank, is proposing a government-owned grocery chain in a bid to create more competition in the supermarket sector and bring down grocery prices.
Led by former Greens MP Max Chandler-Mather, the institute wants 200 Coles and Woolworths stores forcibly sold and turned into public grocers, at a cost to government of around $25 billion.
The think tank says the plan would cut the cost of essentials by 30 per cent.
Master Grocers Australia chief executive Martin Stirling says nationalising supermarkets is not the answer, and that the focus should be on strengthening the competition framework.

