Explore Woolworths' remarkable return to profitability amid rising costs. Delve into the implications for pricing strategies, consumer sentiment, and market competition.

Woolworths swung back to profit for the first half of the financial year, compared to a $781million statutory loss the year before. Its gross food margin was squeezed because of higher meat costs, more discounts and customers buying cheaper items. Food sales would have been higher if not for strikes at its distribution centres, costing the business $240 million. Woolworths will cut $400 million in costs, meaning some office jobs will go. And like Coles, it's also slashing the number of products it sells.  Retail analyst George Boubouras from K2 Asset Management says both supermarkets will expand their homebrand range to maintain margins and deliver for their shareholders. He says even though margins are falling, they're not falling fast enough and are still double those of supermarkets in the EU and UK.  Woolies chief executive Amanda Bardwell dismissed the claim saying "every country has a different economic setting, different wage rates" and she didn't want to make direct comparisons to global benchmarks.  Together, Woolworths and Coles account for about 67 per cent of supermarket retail sales. Australia's consumer watchdog has been investigating that market power, and is due to deliver its final report to the federal government by February 28.  The ACCC has also taken Coles and Woolworths to court, alleging the pair engaged in misleading and deceptive practices by inflating the prices of hundreds of grocery products before marking them as discounted. Food and non-alcoholic drink prices were one of the biggest contributors to inflation in the year to January, up 3.3 per cent, driven by higher costs for fruit, vegetables, meat and seafood.  In the same period, headline inflation remained steady at 2.5 per cent.  Former ACCC boss Graeme Samuel says he's yet to see evidence of the supermarkets price gouging.  He says competition is the ultimate solution to keep prices competitive. He thinks Aldi, IGAs, Costco and Amazon are giving Australians greater choice.  Rhiana Whitson reports. 
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Woolworths follows Coles in slashing products on shelves | The Business | ABC News

Discover how Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) play a vital role in apprenticeships. Learn about their importance, training methods, and how to choose the right RTO for your business.

Heard of an RTO? If not,  you need to watch this!

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Explore Peter's story and the urgent need for reform within the NDIS system. Learn about the impact of funding cuts on individuals and service providers.

For the past seven years, Peter Thorn has thrived under his National Disability Insurance Scheme plan.

He has also been receiving overnight support — a time where he is most vulnerable.

But 10 months ago, he was told there was an "error" in his plan, turning his seven days of overnight support per week into seven days a year, without explanation.

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Peter's NDIS funding was cut suddenly after years of support | ABC NEWS

Discover how Prime Minister Albanese's $8.5 billion Medicare investment aims to enhance accessibility for all Australians and reshape the healthcare landscape.

The government has pledged to make nine out of 10 GP visits free for patients by 2030 under an $8.5 billion plan to fund Medicare. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese highlighted making Medicare stronger as the ‘beating heart’ of his election campaign. 

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