Signatures on our petition to call on the Government to not allow the sale of scratch lottery tickets in supermarkets are growing. Without any pitch or fanfare customers read the sheet and sign up. More are commenting across the counter with extra comments about Coles and Safeway. If more newsagents put this or a similar petition out I am sure we could have thousands of signatures in a few days and surely the government would have to take notice.
I don’t want instant scratch tickets told in supermarkets because this would reduce sales in my newsagency and that would have a knock on effect through the business. I am sure most newsagents in Victoria would agree with me.
Unfortunately, the industry association does not seem engaged with this issue.
Are there some inconsistencies here Mark? You want to be able to compete on a level playing field with Australia Post, you claim deregulation has opened the door for your cmpetitors, yet you want to stop supermarkets from selling one of your products because “this would reduce sales in my newsagency and that would have a knock on effect through the business”. You seem to have stepped back from your concern about the social impact this would have and highlighted the true objection…competition with your business.
Don’t get me wrong. I actually agree with you on Australia Post and the scratch cards. I just think you’re having difficulty running a consistent line.
Ted, I’m being honest about the commercial stake for my business. As a citizen I don;t want supermarkets to have scratch tickets. No way. As a newsagent I don’t want them there for those reasons plus my commercial reasons. Part of my my commercial reasons relate to my ability to employ local people and retain profits locally compared to the supermarket shipping profits who knows where. Newsagents have served scratch ticket customers well. There is no need for change. We compete enough with each other now and that is what drives such excellent customer service. Mark