Strong v Woolworths Limited T/as Big W

In *Strong v Woolworths Limited T/as Big W*, the High Court of Australia considered an appeal from the New South Wales Court of Appeal concerning a claim for damages for personal injury. The appellant, Ms. Strong, had suffered injuries when she slipped on a chip while shopping at a Big W store operated by the respondent, Woolworths Limited. Ms. Strong alleged that the respondent had breached its duty of care owed to her as an invitee by failing to maintain a safe shopping environment.

The central legal issue before the High Court was whether the respondent had breached its duty of care to the appellant. Specifically, the court had to determine whether the respondent had taken reasonable precautions to prevent the foreseeable risk of injury arising from the presence of foreign objects, such as chips, on the floor of its store. This involved an assessment of the adequacy of the respondent's cleaning and inspection procedures in light of the nature of the premises and the potential hazards.

The High Court ultimately found in favour of the respondent, holding that it had not breached its duty of care. The court reasoned that while the presence of a chip on the floor presented a foreseeable risk, the respondent had implemented reasonable procedures for inspecting and cleaning the store. These procedures, which included regular sweeping and a system for staff to report and address hazards, were deemed sufficient to discharge the respondent's duty of care in the circumstances. The court emphasised that a duty of care does not require the elimination of all risks, but rather the taking of reasonable steps to minimise foreseeable risks.