Thread: Another Monopoly takes shape

the term "rapacious" comes to mind...

Originally Posted by 85 county

which country's???

The good Ol' USA for one. Anytime a single entity secures more than 20% (I think) of a given market they come under review from their monopolies board. Hence the Bell Telephone Company was forced to break up about 15 years ago. More recently Microsoft came under the same scrutiny and was forced to split.

Britain and several other European countries also have similar laws.

There is absolutely no way that 2 supermarket chains would be allowed to own 80% of the grocery market in the US. And further that those same grocery retailers own 70% of petrol retail. It would be seen as being against the national interest and they'd be correct in my opinion. In fact, the 6 largest supermarket chains in the US have 40% of the market there.

In the US about 20 years ago they passed laws which prohibited the oil companies from owning retail fuel outlets..... it was seen that owning both the wholesale and retail of fuel was open to price fixing and corrupt activity. Strange, no one see's it that way here, well at least not the ACCC. It's a bloody joke.

goes along the same lines as previous threads about internet direct sales. a good enough number of people don't care about supporting local and small business and will buy online just to save a few bucks, the same mentality allows these big companies to thrive by offering "discount products" that will eventually eliminate small and local businesses.

Dick smith should be made australian of the year forever, and if he went for PM he would certainly have my vote.
problem is too many people will agree with him in theory and even on forums, but at the checkout they will only look at the price tag and ignore what he says.
in the words of a somewhat shady australian
"Shame Shame Shame"