Woolworths launches independent complaints-hotline for its suppliers
| Australian supermarket chain Woolworths has launched Speak Up, a new, externally-hosted hotline – delivered by Deloitte – for Woolworths suppliers to report trading concerns of a serious nature after standard procedures have been exhausted.Issues, which can be reported anonymously, include fraud, corruption, threatening behaviour, people or product safety risks, theft, conflict of interest, bullying and harassment. Woolworths says that the delivery by Deloitte assures a greater level of independence.
The Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC) released a media statement commenting on the new system. In the statement, AFGC Chief Executive Kate Carnell said there are currently serious problems facing food and grocery manufacturers and suppliers in dealing with major supermarkets. Ms Carnell said, “Australia and New Zealand have the highest levels of supermarket concentration in the world, creating a huge power imbalance between the major retailers and suppliers. “By establishing this new complaints mechanism, Woolworths has acknowledged that many suppliers are not comfortable bringing their concerns directly to the company for fear it may impact on their ongoing trading relationship.” Australian Food News reported on Monday 27 February on a new government report which suggested Australia’s two major supermarkets have nearly 80 per cent of the market. The Woolworths launch of its “Speak Up” hotline comes after ACCC Chairperson Rod Sims’ invitation to suppliers to whistle-blow to the ACCC any abuses of market power by supermarket groups. However, some industry observers are saying that Mr Sims has been more reticent to discuss in public forums the issue of alleged supermarket power abuses. The ACCC also has previously incorporated a whistle-blowing scheme in its highest level compliance program against a company engaging in anti-competitive conduct. The move by Woolworths may therefore be connected with a desire by Woolworths to improve its existing Competition and Consumer Act compliance programs. It might also be viewed, however, as a pre-emptive move in the context of pressure from the food and grocery industry (through representative body, the AFGC) for an independent Supermarket Ombudsman office to be instituted through government policy. It remains unclear whether suppliers to supermarkets will feel adequately protected by the new Woolworths scheme and its assurance of anonymity. Identification by the supermarket of a supplier-specific complaint emanating from a whistleblower might still leave a supplier commercially exposed. Even if this does not involve direct retaliation by the supermarket, the exposure of the complaint might be sufficient to jeopardize the continuity of the supplier’s relationship with the supermarket. |
I wish to express my concern over the lack of safety In displaying,in the already narrow aisles.2 metre high (by 2)’large nappy boxes.It was only possible for one trolley to go down the aisle,the article I wished to purchase was blocked by the two 2 metre display of large boxes of Nappies. In the next aisle Lage pallets of toilet paper. At 4pm the busy time of day School kids filling the shelves and two express lanes and 2 normal checkouts ONLY with queues winding back down the aisles.
The most important part of this complaint is the lack of safety and concern by The company over unsafe,dangerous displays When I asked to speak to the manager
He was out collecting trolleys obviously understaffed . Forget the consumer,let’s make a dollar at any price. Is that THE MOTTO.?
Just opened some Jasmine Rice Home Brand
Product Date 9/10/11
Use by date 16/10/13
Batch H9438
IT WAS FULL OF WEAVELS
Thats it!!!!! i have had enough. Today I bought 2 items, 2 flat breads and 2 loaves of sliced bread. hhmmm the flat breads were advertised in the shop at $1.29 and the loaves were advertised at 2 for $5.50, got to the register and was charged $2.59 per flat bread and was charged for 3 loaves of bread. Then they returned one of the flat breads at $2.59 and was still charged full price for the other one and the 3 loaves but had only 2 loaves….so how often does this happen?? is this how the company makes money, hoping that the consumer dosent notice how many items they are buying and for how much…so I did the only right thing to do and returned my items and went to ALDIS and this is where im going to spend my money from now on….go to hell safeway your not worth my time or MONEY and I have a big mouth and will tell all the people I know and put it on facebook cos then I know others will know to avoid your company as well…and one more thing this is not the first time this has happened and for me it will be the LAST!!
I wish to express my concern on your MEAT DEPARTMENT the Quality of Lamb Loin Chops @9.99 per kilo, with all the FAT on them. I refused to buy them, and even the PORK CHOPS had a lot of FAT–NO Trimming as they use to do. I went else where for Better Meat
Your standard of Quality and Value has gone down, and I mean down.
I have resorted to telling my story on here as i have just been absolutely screwed around by your company for the past month and a half.
First of all, my mother in law has just moved down from QLD, she was employed by Woolworths up there and got a transfer down to her local store, after a couple weeks her store manager (who we will call Mrs. A as i don’t want to name anyone) came up to her and asked if she was interested in an office job, in the same conversation my mother in law mentioned how i am looking for work so Mrs. A told my mother in law to send me in the following day for an interview.
I was so excited for this that i went out and bought a whole new outfit for this interview, so i go into Blacktown, Westpoint Woolworths front desk and asked the lady for Mrs. A and was asked to sit on the chair outside the store and wait for her, i was left waiting for 45 minutes until she finally looked up and notice me then indicated with her finger to wait a moment, picked up the phone and made a phone call then came out to me and said that Mrs. A is doing interviews tomorrow at 1 pm if i would like to come back then.
So i left, went home, and did it all again the next day, i did get my interview with Mrs. A where she asked me the usual questions you get asked at an interview and jotted my aswers down on a peice of paper, she then explained to me that she has interviewed 6 people that day but there is only two positions going at that time so she would give me a call he following day wether i got it or not to let me know how i went, she also further explaned that she was leaving the next day to go work in a store in Canberra and that if i would need to contact her assistant (who we will call Mrs. D) who was taking over Mrs. A’ position.
The next day came around and my mother in law was working and i was picking her up from work, i was sitting out the front of the store and when she finished i was told that i have the job and that i had to go photo copy my drivers license and take it back to Mrs. D so my paperwork could be sent off to HR, i did this straight away and was back in the store within half an hour with my photocopy of my drivers license i was told that i will be contacted in the next two weeks.
Two weeks went by and i had heard nothing so i called up Mrs. D as Mrs. A had now left to work in another state, and when i finally got through to Mrs. D she sounded like she had no idea who i was and said that she would call HR, find out whats going on, and call me back the next day, she never called back, so i followed it up again with her where she explained shes been really busy and that they can only start one employee a week otherwise it too much at once and that one person started that week so maybe i will get a call the folowing week.
Well, i didnt. I let another week go by, and i called Mrs. D again and explained that i just want to know whats going on, i understand shes in a new position herself but this is getting rediculous, she told me that she has had a new assistant start that day and that shes trying to get her up to scratch and then she will follow me up but in the mean time just wait and she assured me that i WILL get either a phone call or an email from HR.
Another two weeks went by where i ‘waitied’ for something to happen, i got compeletly fed up and called Mrs. D again explaining that it has been over a month that i went for the interview and was told i have the job, i had turned down two job offers over the past month because i was dedicated to working for you guys, i am not recieving any payments at all from centerlink and im not looking for work because im being told im employed by you but i just need to wait, its rediculous. She then said that she had no idea that i was told i have the job and that maybe HR is waiting till the end of financial year to put any one on and that she doesnt know how they can put anyone else on as they dont even have enough shifts for the amount staff they already have, she assured me once again that she would follow this up and call me back by 3pm that day with propper answer.
She did call back, at 3 pm on the dot, where she told me that i didnt have the job at all and she doesnt know why Mrs. A even said that but as she is in another state no one can get incontact with her she was really apologetic about the situation and how it hass messed me around. I was so upset that i couldnt even say anything, so i hung up the phone.
I assure you Woolworths i will be telling my story to everyone and anyone i can because the way you neglected me and let me on to belive that i was going to be employed by a loyal and trustworthy company, that is abosutly disgraceful and unaustralian. I will never shop in anyshop that is owned by your company, Ever again!
And just so you know, before this encounter i applyed for several jobs all over the place within your company, please disgard of all my pervious applications as i would rather drink acid and burn inside out then have anything to do with your company!
I have been a safeway/woolworths customer for years and I am just about converted to being a coles shopper, A few items that I have bought for years you are just deleting them. The first store was Thompsons rd. Cranbourne vic. McCleans toothpaste Trill canary seed The next thing I wanted was 1 shank but no they were in a twin pack (pressure sealed) and they could not sell me one so into the butcher I go.. So Up to Marriott Waters vic to your new store, no puppy roll, spoke to the butcher and was told that they have deleted that item now.
I am getting extremely fed up with all this deleting especially as they are items I buy every fortnight.