Perfection Fresh has admitted to cartel conduct involving vegetables supplied to ALDI, and has agreed to a proposed $12 million penalty.
The company admitted fixing prices for broccoli, cauliflower, and iceberg lettuce supplied to ALDI in NSW. The conduct happened on 11 occasions between 2019 and 2020.
Perfection Fresh and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) have agreed to jointly ask the Federal Court to order the $12 million penalty. They will also ask the Court to require the company to set up a competition law compliance program.
The Court will decide at a later date whether the proposed penalty and other orders are appropriate.
The penalty covers nine contraventions and one attempted contravention, not all 11 occasions. One falls outside the period in which a penalty can apply.
The ACCC began civil proceedings in September 2025 against Perfection Fresh, three other suppliers, and three individuals. It alleged price fixing in the supply of fresh vegetables to ALDI. The case against the others is continuing, and the ACCC will not comment further while it is before the Court.
Perfection Fresh is a NSW-based wholesaler and Australia’s second-largest fresh vegetable supplier. It supplies cauliflower, broccoli, iceberg lettuce, Brussels sprouts, broccolini, and celery to all states and territories.
ACCC Commissioner Luke Woodward said cartel conduct harms shoppers and businesses.
“Cartel conduct undermines competition and can increase prices, harming consumers and raising the cost of doing business,” Mr Woodward said.
“Enforcing cartel laws and protecting competition in the supply of fresh food are ongoing priorities for the ACCC.”
Perfection Fresh CEO Nick Gill said the company accepted responsibility.
“We take full responsibility for what occurred and acknowledge it should not have happened,” Mr Gill said.
He said the company had fully co-operated with the ACCC since becoming aware of the issue.
Perfection Fresh has made changes since. It has strengthened its executive leadership team, set up an in-house legal and compliance team, and adopted a formal competition law policy. It has run competition law training for all staff and introduced the Speak Up whistleblower platform. It is also restructuring to separate its sourcing and sales functions.
“These changes reflect our commitment to stronger governance and accountability,” Mr Gill said.
More information is at https://www.accc.gov.au/media-release/perfection-fresh-admits-to-fixing-the-price-of-vegetables-sold-to-aldi
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