‘Choc’ full of trouble: Woolworths' sweet price gaffe leaves a bitter taste in shoppers’ mouths
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As the festive season approaches, many of us are on the lookout for the perfect gifts and treats to share with our loved ones.
A box of chocolates is a classic choice, often seen as a sweet gesture of goodwill and cheer.
However, shoppers at Woolworths Metro have been left with a bitter taste in their mouths after discovering a significant price discrepancy for a popular brand of chocolates compared to other retailers.
The item in question is the 500-gram box of Quality Street chocolates, a staple during the holiday season.
A customer recently noticed that Woolworths Metro near Parramatta station in Sydney's west had these boxes priced at a staggering $40.80.
This price point is notably higher than what other stores are offering for the same product. For instance, Kmart is selling them for just $20, which is less than half of Woolworths Metro's asking price.
The customer described the price at Woolworths Metro as ‘absolutely appalling’, and it's not hard to see why.
This isn't an isolated incident, either. Other Woolworths supermarkets have the chocolates on special for $29, down from their regular price of $34.
Meanwhile, Coles and Big W are also selling the chocolates for $34, and The Reject Shop has them advertised for a mere $15.
This vast range of prices for an identical item has left many shoppers scratching their heads and questioning the pricing strategies of these major retailers.
The timing of this discovery is particularly sensitive, as it comes just weeks after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called out supermarkets for treating Australians like ‘fools’ amid price gouging investigations.
The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) has been conducting months of gruelling investigations into the pricing practices of Woolworths and Coles.
Both supermarket giants now face lawsuits over allegations of deliberately misleading discount campaigns for more than 500 products over a period of more than a year.
According to ACCC’s investigation findings last month, ‘The ACCC alleges that the supermarkets offered certain products at a regular price for at least 180 days. They then increased the price of the product by at least 15 per cent for a relatively short period of time and subsequently placed it onto their “Prices Dropped” or “Down Down” program.’
Prime Minister Albanese has expressed his support for the ACCC's lawsuits against Woolworths and Coles, emphasising the seriousness of the allegations.
‘If this is found to be true, it's completely unacceptable. This is not the Australian spirit. Australian customers don't deserve to be treated as fools by supermarkets,’ he stated.
The mistrust towards supermarkets has been growing over the years, with many Australians feeling the pinch of cost-of-living pressures.
A survey by the Australia Institute involving more than 1,000 people found that 83 per cent believe supermarkets bear a great deal or at least some responsibility for the financial pressures they currently face.
Have you come across any shocking price differences for the same items at different stores? Do you think supermarkets are playing fair with their pricing? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below, and let's discuss how we can be savvy shoppers together.
A box of chocolates is a classic choice, often seen as a sweet gesture of goodwill and cheer.
However, shoppers at Woolworths Metro have been left with a bitter taste in their mouths after discovering a significant price discrepancy for a popular brand of chocolates compared to other retailers.
The item in question is the 500-gram box of Quality Street chocolates, a staple during the holiday season.
A customer recently noticed that Woolworths Metro near Parramatta station in Sydney's west had these boxes priced at a staggering $40.80.
This price point is notably higher than what other stores are offering for the same product. For instance, Kmart is selling them for just $20, which is less than half of Woolworths Metro's asking price.
The customer described the price at Woolworths Metro as ‘absolutely appalling’, and it's not hard to see why.
Woolworths Metro was criticised for charging significantly higher prices for chocolates than competitors like Kmart and The Reject Shop. Credit: Shutterstock
This isn't an isolated incident, either. Other Woolworths supermarkets have the chocolates on special for $29, down from their regular price of $34.
Meanwhile, Coles and Big W are also selling the chocolates for $34, and The Reject Shop has them advertised for a mere $15.
This vast range of prices for an identical item has left many shoppers scratching their heads and questioning the pricing strategies of these major retailers.
The timing of this discovery is particularly sensitive, as it comes just weeks after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called out supermarkets for treating Australians like ‘fools’ amid price gouging investigations.
The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) has been conducting months of gruelling investigations into the pricing practices of Woolworths and Coles.
Both supermarket giants now face lawsuits over allegations of deliberately misleading discount campaigns for more than 500 products over a period of more than a year.
According to ACCC’s investigation findings last month, ‘The ACCC alleges that the supermarkets offered certain products at a regular price for at least 180 days. They then increased the price of the product by at least 15 per cent for a relatively short period of time and subsequently placed it onto their “Prices Dropped” or “Down Down” program.’
Prime Minister Albanese has expressed his support for the ACCC's lawsuits against Woolworths and Coles, emphasising the seriousness of the allegations.
‘If this is found to be true, it's completely unacceptable. This is not the Australian spirit. Australian customers don't deserve to be treated as fools by supermarkets,’ he stated.
The mistrust towards supermarkets has been growing over the years, with many Australians feeling the pinch of cost-of-living pressures.
A survey by the Australia Institute involving more than 1,000 people found that 83 per cent believe supermarkets bear a great deal or at least some responsibility for the financial pressures they currently face.
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