The Green Institute, the Greens’ research arm, has unveiled a $25.1 billion, five‑year plan to buy 200 stores from Coles and Woolworths and turn them into a publicly owned chain called “Fair Go Grocers”. The proposal calls for the forced sale of these outlets and the creation of a national network of public supermarkets.

The plan also includes three existing distribution centres and the construction of ten new ones, plus the building of 424 additional stores across the country. All of these facilities would be managed by the public chain and financed through the five‑year investment programme.

Coles and Woolworths are currently the most profitable grocery retailers in Australia. In the most recent financial year, Coles reported a net profit of $1.09 billion and Woolworths $1.14 billion, each earning well over $1 billion after tax.

Because the public grocers would operate “at cost”, the Green Institute says they would become cost‑neutral to the federal budget after the first five years. By not needing to generate a profit, the chain could reduce the price of essential goods by about 30 % and lower household grocery bills by several hundred dollars each month.

A YouGov poll of 1,500 voters found that 94 % of Australians are worried about rising food prices. The same survey showed that food and grocery costs are the top cost‑of‑living concern for the public.

If the public chain can deliver the promised discounts, it would force Coles and Woolworths to compete on price, potentially driving down prices across the whole market. Max Chandler‑Mather, executive director of the Green Institute, said the model could “save families thousands of dollars on their groceries”.

The proposal shows how a publicly owned supermarket could directly affect everyday shoppers by offering cheaper essentials and increasing competition in a market dominated by two private giants.