Woolworths CEO Brad Banducci is facing calls from customers to step down after walking out of an interview with a Four Corners reporter during a tough line of questioning on price gouging.
ABC reporter Angus Grigg interviewed Mr Banducci for a Four Corners story on the "cosy duopoly" between Coles and Woolworths and the tactics used to increase profits.
The big two, Woolworths and Coles, control 65 per cent of Australia's supermarket sector and in 2023, during a cost-of-living crisis, the profit margin at Mr Banducci's company expand by an extra $318 million.
He said he was "done" with the interview after the journalist refused to remove Mr Banducci's comments "impugning" the former head of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) Rod Sims.
"Rod Sims, the former head of the ACCC says that we have one of the most concentrated supermarket [sectors] in the world. Is he lying?" Mr Grigg asked.
"It's not true. Retired, by the way," Mr Banducci said.
"I don't think you would impugn his integrity and his understanding of competition law," the reporter said.
"I'm just saying, the world has got much more competitive since the terrific initiatives that were put in place back in, whatever it was, 2008 or [2009]," Mr Banducci said.
The CEO then asked the journalist to remove that section of the conversation from his reporting on Four Corners but Mr Grigg declined.
"I mean, he is retired, but I shouldn't have said that Angus. Are we going to leave it in there? If we are..." Mr Banducci said.
"Well we're on the record, you said it, let's move on," Mr Grigg said.
"Yeah, no I think I'm done guys. I do this with good intent, you know, I don't do this with bad intent," Mr Banducci said before leaving the frame to speak with his public relations (PR) team.
The Woolworths CEO, who has been in the role for eight years, returned to finish the interview.
Australians have taken to X (formerly Twitter) to voice their opinions on the interview with one commenter saying "is Brad Banducci trying to fill Alan Joyce's shoes and take the title of the most hated CEO in Australia?"
Another said "Brad Banducci's performance last night was appalling" while another called him "disingenuous".
Other commenters have said they intend to boycott the supermarket after seeing his interview.
When asked if Mr Banducci intended to resign a Woolworths spokesperson said "Brad took a minute and finished the interview as you can see from the story"
Anna Houlahan
Reach out with news or updates to anna.houlahan@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Reach out with news or updates to anna.houlahan@austcommunitymedia.com.au
