Australian National University Union - Policy Issues - Acton Supermarket Closure

Acton Supermarket Closure

In October 2007 the Board of Directors made a decision not to renew the license of the Acton Supermarket owned by Pijpers Holdings Pty Ltd. Board Chair Chris Steel claimed the decision was made on the basis of the continued viability of the Union's business operations which had suffered as a result of the Federal Government's Higher Education (Abolition of Upfront Student Union Fees) Amendment Act 2005 that had cut the Union's revenue by around $213 000 per annum. Under an alternative business model it was proposed that the ANU Union would incorporate a supermarket into its own retail operations.

The closure resulted in a Facebook group called 'Keep the ANU Supermarket' with over 1000 members. A petition with over 1500 signatures was also raised by the supermarket owners and made to ANU Vice-Chancellor Ian Chubb. The protesters claimed that the ANU Union would sell stock at higher prices than the independently run Acton Supermarket.

In May 2008 a new licensee of the Union opened a 3 store in the previous location of the Acton Supermarket and the ANU Union refurbished part of its own Union Shop to accommodate a new supermarket.

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