Groceries on special fly off Australian supermarket shelves at 70 times normal rate

ABS data highlights shoppers’ attraction to promotions, as supermarkets giants discount unhealthy food twice as often as healthier items

• Get our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcast

Supermarket promotional items can sell at up to 70 times their normal rate, analysis shows, in a sign of the market power the grocery giants exert over Australian households that includes a preference to discount junk food.

An upcoming parliamentary inquiry designed to investigate claims of profiteering is expected to place significant focus on grocery specials, while the competition regulator has also suggested it could sue major supermarkets for deceptive promotions. The chains have defended their pricing practices.

Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup