Important factors that may affect the Company's business and operations and that may cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward - looking statements include, but are not limited to, increased
competition; the Company's ability to maintain, extend and expand its reputation and brand image; the Company's ability to differentiate its products from other brands; the consolidation
of retail customers; the Company's ability to predict, identify and interpret changes in consumer preferences and demand; the Company's ability to drive revenue growth in its key product categories, increase its market share or add products; an impairment
of the carrying value
of goodwill or other indefinite - lived intangible assets; volatility in commodity, energy and other input costs; changes in the Company's management team or other key personnel; the Company's inability to realize the anticipated benefits from the Company's cost savings initiatives; changes in relationships with significant customers and suppliers; execution
of the Company's international expansion strategy; changes in
laws and regulations; legal claims or other regulatory enforcement actions; product recalls or product liability claims; unanticipated business disruptions; failure to successfully integrate the business and operations
of the Company in the expected time frame; the Company's ability to complete or realize the benefits from
potential and completed acquisitions, alliances, divestitures or joint ventures; economic and political conditions in the nations in which the Company operates; the volatility
of capital markets; increased pension, labor and people - related expenses; volatility in the market value
of all or a portion
of the derivatives that the Company uses; exchange rate fluctuations; risks associated with information technology and systems, including service interruptions, misappropriation
of data or
breaches of security; the Company's inability to protect intellectual property rights; impacts
of natural events in the locations in which the Company or its customers, suppliers or regulators operate; the Company's indebtedness and ability to pay such indebtedness; tax
law changes or interpretations; and other factors.
The head
of the Australian
Competition and Consumer Commission, Rod Sims, will investigate the two retailers - which between them control an estimated 70 per cent
of the nation's grocery spending - about
potential breaches of the
law and bullying tactics against food and grocery suppliers.
Under section 36
of the Act, the
potential remedies for a successful
competition law private action are the actual damages (i.e., compensatory damages) proven as a result
of the criminal violation (or
breach of a Tribunal or court order).