Balmain shoppers beef with Woolworths over deli closure and price hike!

In the quaint suburb of Balmain, a storm is brewing among the locals, and it's not the kind that brings much-needed rain to their gardens.

Instead, it's a storm of frustration and disappointment directed at the Australian supermarket giant, Woolworths.

The cause of their ire? A significant change in their local store is hitting them where it hurts most: their wallets.


The Darling Street Woolworths, a staple for the Balmain community, has recently undergone a transformation from a full-service supermarket to a Woolworths Metro—a smaller, more convenience-focused format.

This change has come with a bitter pill to swallow: the permanent closure of the beloved deli department.

The absence of the deli counter means that customers are now faced with a limited selection of prepackaged deli items, which, to add insult to injury, come with a hefty price tag.


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Balmain Woolworths shoppers were dismayed by the closure of the deli, resulting in increased prices for prepackaged deli goods. Credits: Shutterstock


One resident, who preferred to remain unnamed, voiced her outrage over the deli's closure and the subsequent price hike in deli meats.

‘Balmain Woolies in the last couple of months has changed over to a Metro layout, and in the last couple of weeks, the deli has completely closed, and they have fully moved over to pre-packaged deli meats,’ the shopper explained.

She noted that some leg ham and salami varieties, once a reasonable $37 per kilo when sliced fresh at the deli, are now being sold prepackaged for a staggering $75 per kilo.

‘I hate the idea that the labour component is not there. They’ve now removed jobs from the store, and human interaction is not there anymore, especially when people feel quite disenfranchised and lonely,’ she lamented.


'It's not just about the money,' she said. 'It's about the loss of human interaction, the jobs that have vanished, and the sense of community that the deli brought to our shopping experience.'

The local sentiment is clear: the deli will be ‘sorely missed’.

A notice outside the store spoke of a ‘much-needed facelift’, but for many, this makeover feels more like a downgrade.

‘Everyone I have spoken to says it [was] just making a rotten store even worse. The only positive is the staff, but those numbers are dwindling,’ the customer said.

‘Large retailers are overlooking these factors in the communities where they choose to make money.’


Over 1000 community members expressed their rejection of this decision by signing a Change.org petition, pleading with Woolworths to reconsider the Metro conversion of both the Balmain and nearby Alexandria stores.

The shift to Metro stores is part of a broader strategy by Woolworths, with only 10 per cent of these smaller outlets featuring a deli counter.

The company cited limited customer take-up as the reason behind this move.

However, residents argue that the change is a thinly veiled attempt to increase profits at the expense of variety and affordability.

‘Downgrading to a metro is just an underhanded way of Woolies putting up their prices,’ one shopper wrote on the petition.

‘We need more variety in deli items and not another sushi bar,’ another suggested.


In response to the backlash, a Woolworths spokesperson confirmed the deli's closure after some adjustments were made in the store.

‘The Balmain Metro is currently undergoing a renewal, with work now underway to bring a fresh new look to the store. While the deli is closing, the renewal process will make room for a wider range of grocery options tailored to the Balmain community,’ they said.

‘More than 250 new products, such as an expanded range of dips, cheeses, smallgoods, [and] biscuits, will be introduced to the store, meaning customers will still have access to a wide range of deli products.’

The overhaul will introduce 30 sliced and shaved products, reminiscent of those previously offered over the counter, now accessible to customers at the identical price per kilogram.


The transformation of the Balmain store is part of a trend that sees four Metro-style stores now in the surrounding areas, including Redfern, Erskineville, and Park Sydney, with the nearest full-service Woolworths a 20-minute drive away in Marrickville and Redfern.

‘Customers will experience a disruption during their shop in store, but our dedicated store team will be there to support any customers who need assistance. We also want to reassure customers that our new neighbourhood food store will still have everything they need for a full shop,’ the spokesperson explained.

While Woolworths Metro stores have seen a 21.6 per cent growth in sales, it's essential to consider whether this growth comes at the cost of customer satisfaction and community values.


The recent uproar over Woolworths' decision to hike prices following a significant change in their store layout has ignited a heated debate among customers.

While some are outraged by the sudden price increase, others are frustrated over the early closure of deli counters in Woolworths stores.

This contentious issue has sparked a flurry of opinions and discussions, with many questioning Woolworths' customer-centric approach and advocating for greater transparency in their decisions.
Key Takeaways
  • Woolworths customers in Balmain were upset following the permanent closure of the local store's deli department, leading to higher prices for prepackaged deli items.
  • A Change.org petition gained over 1000 signatures from community members who oppose the decision to convert large stores to Metro formats.
  • Woolworths argued that the deli closures in certain stores are due to limited customer use, with only 10 per cent of Metros operating with a deli.
  • As part of the store's renewal process, Woolworths stated that Balmain Metro will offer a wider range of grocery options and add new products, with some sliced and shaved deli items being offered pre-packaged at the same price per kilo as before.
Have you noticed similar changes in your local supermarkets? How have they affected your shopping habits and budget? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below.
 
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One has to feel sorry for the cash rich Balmainians. According to the 2016 ABS census, the median individual weekly income for Balmain was $1066, compared to Australia's median individual weekly income of $662.

I can hear them crying into their $45 lattes from here in Perth. Poor dears....
 
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Reactions: Macarj and Ricci
Never buy deli products from any supermarkets which are always old and way over priced. Prefer small delis
 
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Reactions: Ricci
This happened years ago, sorry I cannot remember the date but at least 10 years or more in the Plumpton NSW store. The deli was no more, replace with prepackaged meat and cheese. Not that I noticed the price back then, but all you could see was some of the sliced meat was going dry on the edges. I did write a letter to Woolworths at the time, saying that we like to see real pieces of meat, not prepackaged. Their reply if I can remember was it was an experiment. I never found out as I moved from the area
 
We have a Coles store in our town. It closed it's Deli down and started selling pre packaged meats. I now buy my cold meats from IGA as they serve you with fresh cut produce and not meat in plastic containers. I thought we were trying to cut out plastics and yet these supermarkets just add more.
 
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Reactions: Davmes and SandyM
Don't bother signimng petitions, nothing will change.
Do what I am, shop where the service is ,it may be a little dearer but it teaches us to buy only that which we need.
Smaller grocers much much better service and very helpful staff.
June
 
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We have a Coles store in our town. It closed it's Deli down and started selling pre packaged meats. I now buy my cold meats from IGA as they serve you with fresh cut produce and not meat in plastic containers. I thought we were trying to cut out plastics and yet these supermarkets just add more.
they'r not conservasionalists re plastic etc they just use that for publicity, like the bags we used to put our groceries in for free , now we are paying 30cents for a paper bag that costs 3 or 4 cents (their highest profit line of any product) note they still wrap heaps of other products I packaging when nit suits them and forget the ecology
 
We stopped buying deli ham a loooong time ago.

We get a leg portion that costs $10.31 a kilo in the meat section at Coles.
Take into account the piece of bone and the fat, it’s still way cheaper than sliced ham $30 and soooo much nicer than the processed sliced or shaved ham from the deli
if you look after it by wrapping it in a wet tea towel, it’ll last till the last morsel is off the bone.
We‘re two person household,
 
One has to feel sorry for the cash rich Balmainians. According to the 2016 ABS census, the median individual weekly income for Balmain was $1066, compared to Australia's median individual weekly income of $662.

I can hear them crying into their $45 lattes from here in Perth. Poor dears....
A lot of poor people live in government housing in Balmain.
 
One has to feel sorry for the cash rich Balmainians. According to the 2016 ABS census, the median individual weekly income for Balmain was $1066, compared to Australia's median individual weekly income of $662.

I can hear them crying into their $45 lattes from here in Perth. Poor dears....
Lattes? Is that with sugar or honey?
 

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