Jeff Kennett tells Coles to pay $12m to suppliers

When Jeff Kennett dobbed Coles into the competition regulator nover false "baked fresh" bread claims two years ago, he had no idea he nwould end up playing the role of King Solomon, adjudicating between nAustralia’s second-largest food retailer and its smallest suppliers.

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Then former Victorian premier has ordered Coles to repay more than n$12.3 million to small food and grocery suppliers who were forced to payn extra rebates to join a new supply chain program, or fined for n"crimes" such as late deliveries and spoilage in Coles stores.

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Aboutn 4000 suppliers who are still participating in Coles’ Active Retail nCollaboration program will have their annual rebates reduced, and othersn will be allowed to leave the program entirely, saving "millions of ndollars a year," Mr Kennett said.  Sydney Morning Herald – Read more…

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