How can they be doing so well when we’re doing it so tough?
The other day I watched someone put their groceries back. They were at the checkout anxiously watching the tally. I know that feeling. It’s something I’ve done many times in the past. Especially when I was a single mother. It’s humiliating. Having to declare your financial strain by returning items until the number on the screen matches the numbers in your account. In public. Under pressure. Usually with screaming kids hanging off your trolley.
There are no sneaky chockies or delicious treats for many people in this country. For many there aren’t even the basics. The cost of living crisis means some people are struggling to pay for the essentials. It’s going to be a very lean Xmas for many Australians whose lives don’t look like the shiny insta ads.
The big supermarkets make me angry.
They are raking it in. In fact, while single mums have to decide between toilet paper and bread, and settling for bread that tastes like toilet paper – business is booming. The profits of the big two are through the roof.
This year Woolworths posted a whopping $1.62 billion annual profit with Coles coming in at around $1.1billion.
How can they be doing so well when we’re doing it so tough?
Apparently, according to the PR spin, this is directly related to global inflation. Supply issues. Post pandemic blah blah. Well if according to the ABS, annual food inflation is sitting at 7.5%, why have dairy products risen by 15.2% in the last 12 months? Bread is coming in a close second at 11.2%?
The increase in price is significantly more than inflation.
Could this be corporate opportunism? A little bit of grinchy gouging?
The issue for many is that we don’t have much choice. Especially in regional areas where the duopolies have little to no competition.
A recent news story had a jar of Vegemite going for almost $10. It was a big jar, but it’s vegemite. Not caviar.
The average spend for groceries for a family of four is around $336 per week. That’s not even a full trolley. There is strong wage growth, but it’s just not keeping up with prices. According to an article from The Guardian earlier this year, wages have risen only half the speed of prices. You don’t have to be a maths genius to know that it doesn’t add up.
Apparently, we’ve started stealing. Ironic, because that’s how most non-Indigenous Australians arrived here. As convicts convicted of stealing bread. Talk about full circle. Here we go again. While supermarkets are bitching about stock loss of up to 2-3 % – somehow they are still making massive profits.
Maybe forget about installing more surveillance to track desperate people, just dial back the cost of cheese and milk. It’s cheaper and it’s more humane.
And frankly, if you get people to do an impromptu shift on the self-checkout – expect a loss. Big supermarkets are basically getting us to do their work for free. And cutting out the employment of attendants. Stop bitching about losing an onion or two.
My view is, if you self-checkout then you should be given a 10% discount.
Bring on the parliamentary inquiry into price gouging. And maybe instead of criminalising the poor we can point the cameras where we really need the surveillance – on corporations.
– Mandy Nolan
Why does Aldi always get away scot free in these discussions? They tripled their profit in the UK last year and came in at a healthy 3rd in the grocery profit race in Australia. They are owned by one European family not publicly listed like Woolworths and Coles. Profits are not shared around but go offshore to one small, greedy set of individuals who share a surname. What do they sponsor in the community? They employ minimal staff and certainly none with obvious disabilities unlike their main competitors. In order to have cheap prices they must hammer the primary producers just as hard as the others do. Woolworths is transitioning to 100 per cent green electricity by 2025. What environmental initiatives does Aldi have in place? It’s time we started outing Aldi’s practices as they are every bit as despicable as Woolworths and Coles in their grab for profits.
Andrea, Aldi sustainability practices you ask.
A little research would have shown you; from ABC News – ‘Australian government gives Aldi’s renewable promise tick of approval
Three years ago, Aldi made a major promise to its customers. Now it’s finally getting recognised for its achievements.’, Rebecca Borg
July 11, 2023 – 7:41AM
Better still, get yourself onto Aldi’s website. Dial up aldi.com.au/corporate-responsibility/environment.
You can learn yourself up on Aldi’s environment actions.
Great one Mandy.
Pensioners are really feeling the pinch. Every commodity has risen, yet pensions remain stagnant. Sad days indeed. Got to look on the bright side.
We are alive! 😊
I happened to be in Mullum the other day and did some shopping at woolies. I was surprised to see the cheapest free range eggs at over $7. Several dollars over what I normally pay in Byron…
Mandy Nolan. “the big supermarkets make me angry”. The green left zealot ignorance/deception makes me angry. ” Woolworth’s posted a whopping 1.62 billion annual profit” So what. That profit figure was for Woolworth’s Group which includes Woolworth’s supermarkets Australia and New Zealand and Big W and other associated businesses. 1400 stores. 190,000 employees. 65 billion is sales. 1.62 billion profit does not indicate as you suggest “corporate opportunism” This rant is as deceptive as your Chevron $30 tax nonsense.
I have noticed that when there is a close Aldi to Coles & WW, the big chain prices are cheaper (that would explain the discrepancy between M´bah & Byron).
I know Aldi is privately owned, but I will vote with my wallet for equivalent goods. Coles & WW should standardise their prices like Aldi does.
Merry Xmas,
Doug
The good old greens bashing any one or any thing that is successful, thank God they will never be in government, they just don’t get it and never will. Surely this is a great opportunity for a protest.