Senate supermarkets inquiry threatens to hold Woolworths boss Brad Banducci in contempt

Chair Nick McKim takes issue with CEO’s refusal to disclose company’s return on equity amid claims of price gouging

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An Australian parliamentary inquiry has threatened to hold the head of the country’s largest supermarket chain, Woolworths, in contempt for repeatedly refusing to answer questions about the company’s profitability.

The Woolworths chief executive, Brad Banducci, was asked by a Senate committee on Tuesday to disclose the company’s return on equity (ROE), an important gauge of profitability, amid claims the company price gouges customers and unfairly pressures suppliers.

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