AUSTRALIA: Price cuts, staff cuts and legal challenges: food retailing at the Olympics

Following complaints that prices were too high, many food retailers within the Olympic Park at Sydney have had to take measures to stop spectators bringing packed lunches. In a bid to attract more business, Michael Choucair, a restaurateur from Carlton, Melbourne, has dropped many prices and even let some staff go. Other caterers are taking legal action.Over 200 staff members look set to lose their jobs this week following poor sales, and numerous caterers have dropped prices, suffering from a lack of customers. Notably, the Pizza and Pasta Bar was yesterday advertising prices that had been cut by A$2.5-3.Other caterers are taking more drastic action aimed at Sydney 2000, not the consumers. Claiming that the Games organisers had previously agreed to establish restrictions on food taken into events venues, they are suing for the loss of business incurred.