Brad Banducci is leaving the Woolworths group after eight-and-a half-years as chief executive, with the industry facing increasing political pressure over price-gouging.

Woolworths will have its first female chief executive after Banducci said he was stepping down, amidst calls for the supermarket giant to address its role in the cost-of-living crisis.

The announcement comes just days after he walked out of an interview with ABC’s Four Corners in Australia while being questioned about price-gouging and a lack of competition in the industry.

It also comes at a time when both Woolworths and Coles have been under political pressure about pricing as well as its decision to stop selling Australia Day-themed items.

Amanda Bardwell, the managing director of the supermarket group’s e-commerce arm, will become its 13th chief executive when Banducci retires on September 1.

Chairman Scott Perkins said the timing of Banducci’s departure was not influenced at all by recent controversies, praising him as one of the company’s “finest leaders” in his 13-year career there.

”I can be absolutely emphatic on that point,” Perkins said.

Banducci said the board actually offered to delay announcing his retirement after the controversies emerged.

”It did occur to me to delay, but it wouldn’t have been authentic to me.”

Asked about Banducci’s resignation, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he wanted to “talk about things other than personalities”.

”Woolworths [is] an important company,” he told ABC radio today.

”When (customers) get to the checkout, they should get the lowest prices possible and when farmers are getting less for their products ... the price at the checkout should reflect that.

”I think people are concerned about competition in the supermarket industry.“

The supermarket chain also announced today that it suffered a A$781 million ($829.8m) first-half loss, including a A$1.5 billion ($1.6b) write-down of goodwill from its New Zealand supermarkets and A$209m change in accounting treatment of its holdings of Endeavour Group, the alcohol retailer it spun off in 2021.

Excluding those items, Woolworths posted a A$929b net profit after tax for the six months to December 31, up 2.5 per cent from a year ago with sales up 4.4 per cent to A$34.6b.

Perkins said that Bardwell was chosen after an intensive international search process supported by external consultants and called her a proven leader, business builder and modern retailer who had taken WooliesX from infancy to a A$7b market-leading business.

”Amanda is highly respected throughout the organisation and I know, like Brad, will live our purpose and work hard to achieve Woolworths group’s full potential.”

Perkins will be paid A$2.15m a year in fixed compensation, and be eligible for up to A$6.9m a year in short- and long-term incentive payments.

Opposition finance spokeswoman Jane Hume said the resignation was a decision for Banducci and the Woolworths board.

”But what’s most important is the prominence that not just Woolworths but also Coles have experienced in them in the media and the cost-of-living crisis,” she said.

”Each one of those supermarket giants has responded in a different way and certainly Woolworths has had some questions to answer.”

- AAP