Cost-cutting at the checkout might be backfiring—here’s what frustrated shoppers are saying
- Replies 1
With the rising cost of living putting pressure on households across Australia, many shoppers are hunting for ways to stretch their budgets at the checkout.
But sometimes, even a simple supermarket bargain can come with a hidden catch—and it’s leaving some Aussies wondering if the savings are truly worth it.
A recent experience has sparked wider discussions about what's really happening behind the scenes with our everyday grocery staples.
The ongoing cost of living crisis had many Australians switching up their usual grocery habits in search of better deals.
However, one mum’s recent trip to ALDI served as a reminder that a bargain isn’t always what it seems.
Keen to save a few dollars, she grabbed a bag of washed red potatoes without much thought, needing them for dinner that night.
While she normally preferred to handpick her fresh produce, convenience and cost won out this time.
Unfortunately, as she began peeling the potatoes, it became clear something was wrong.
Although they appeared fine externally, underneath the skin was a different story.
Brown patches, discolouration, and a general inedibility plagued the 2 kg bag she had purchased for $6.99.
After peeling several and finding each worse than the last, she realised she might not have enough salvageable potatoes for her meal.
Wondering if others had faced similar issues, she turned to social media to share her experience.
The responses suggested it was not just ALDI where shoppers had noticed questionable potato quality, but at Coles, Woolworths, and even independent grocers too.
One commenter pointed out, ‘It’s not just ALDI I’ve noticed,’ while others speculated that the problem could be due to ‘cool storage for too long’ or the potatoes being ‘frozen’ to extend their shelf life.
A mum shared: ‘I’ve had this a few times from potatoes I got from a different supermarket — I even selected each one. Not in a bag. Something is definitely going on.’
Even social media users weighed in, questioning if the savings were truly worth it after finding themselves discarding a good portion of their purchases.
‘With the amount of potatoes I throw out of the bag I’m starting to wonder if it’s even worth the cost savings?’ one shopper wrote.
‘It seems every time I buy a bag of potatoes within a week they’re rotten and moldy and dripping ooze inside. Aren’t potatoes supposed to be known to last a super long time?’
ALDI confirmed that environmental factors could affect the appearance of produce.
‘We can confirm that while some potatoes may have been affected by environmental factors or show minor imperfections, they are safe to eat,’ an ALDI spokesperson said.
‘We are working closely with our business partners to ensure the highest quality standards are maintained for our customers. Any customers who are not satisfied with a product can return it to our stores for a full refund or replacement.’
According to AUSVEG (the peak industry body for Australian vegetable, potato and onion growers)here was no cause for major concern.
‘Australian growers produce some of the highest quality and food safety standards in the world, and are also subject to rigorous quality, safety and cosmetic standards and specifications required by retailers,’ a spokesperson shared.
They explained that growing conditions such as drier, warmer, or wetter seasons could impact how potatoes looked at purchase.
‘During growing, slight variations in environmental conditions—such as drier, warmer or wetter conditions than usual—can lead to some minor aesthetic differences in a crop, but it is difficult to determine from the pictures supplied, without further analysis.’
They further noted that retailers only accepted produce that met strict standards, but the storage and handling after that point was in the hands of the supermarkets.
‘Retailers only accept produce that meets their standards, so anything supplied by a grower to a retailer must be of a very high standard on delivery. Once a retailer has accepted a shipment from a grower, any further arrangements for shipping, storage and delivery to shelf would be a consideration for them.’
‘Anything that retailers do make available for sale is also subject to rigorous food safety standards and testing.’
Specific questions about quality at the point of sale would need to be directed to individual retailers.
Woolworths shared that they were unaware of any major complaints regarding potato quality.
‘We’re not aware of this issue being raised directly with us by customers,’ a Woolworths spokesperson said.
‘We work closely with our potato growers throughout the growing season, maintaining communication and conducting farm visits to ensure a shared understanding of quality standards and to select potatoes that meet consumer expectations.’
Meanwhile, the frustrations around dodgy bagged potatoes added to the growing list of small annoyances shoppers faced while trying to stretch their dollar further.
Still, experts reassured that despite the aesthetic issues, Australian potatoes remained among the highest quality in the world.
With rising prices forcing many Aussies to rethink their shopping habits, have you also noticed changes in the quality of fresh produce? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
But sometimes, even a simple supermarket bargain can come with a hidden catch—and it’s leaving some Aussies wondering if the savings are truly worth it.
A recent experience has sparked wider discussions about what's really happening behind the scenes with our everyday grocery staples.
The ongoing cost of living crisis had many Australians switching up their usual grocery habits in search of better deals.
However, one mum’s recent trip to ALDI served as a reminder that a bargain isn’t always what it seems.
Keen to save a few dollars, she grabbed a bag of washed red potatoes without much thought, needing them for dinner that night.
Bargain buy leaves shopper questioning supermarket savings. Image source: Reddit
While she normally preferred to handpick her fresh produce, convenience and cost won out this time.
Unfortunately, as she began peeling the potatoes, it became clear something was wrong.
Although they appeared fine externally, underneath the skin was a different story.
Brown patches, discolouration, and a general inedibility plagued the 2 kg bag she had purchased for $6.99.
After peeling several and finding each worse than the last, she realised she might not have enough salvageable potatoes for her meal.
Wondering if others had faced similar issues, she turned to social media to share her experience.
The responses suggested it was not just ALDI where shoppers had noticed questionable potato quality, but at Coles, Woolworths, and even independent grocers too.
One commenter pointed out, ‘It’s not just ALDI I’ve noticed,’ while others speculated that the problem could be due to ‘cool storage for too long’ or the potatoes being ‘frozen’ to extend their shelf life.
A mum shared: ‘I’ve had this a few times from potatoes I got from a different supermarket — I even selected each one. Not in a bag. Something is definitely going on.’
Even social media users weighed in, questioning if the savings were truly worth it after finding themselves discarding a good portion of their purchases.
‘With the amount of potatoes I throw out of the bag I’m starting to wonder if it’s even worth the cost savings?’ one shopper wrote.
‘It seems every time I buy a bag of potatoes within a week they’re rotten and moldy and dripping ooze inside. Aren’t potatoes supposed to be known to last a super long time?’
ALDI confirmed that environmental factors could affect the appearance of produce.
‘We can confirm that while some potatoes may have been affected by environmental factors or show minor imperfections, they are safe to eat,’ an ALDI spokesperson said.
‘We are working closely with our business partners to ensure the highest quality standards are maintained for our customers. Any customers who are not satisfied with a product can return it to our stores for a full refund or replacement.’
According to AUSVEG (the peak industry body for Australian vegetable, potato and onion growers)here was no cause for major concern.
‘Australian growers produce some of the highest quality and food safety standards in the world, and are also subject to rigorous quality, safety and cosmetic standards and specifications required by retailers,’ a spokesperson shared.
They explained that growing conditions such as drier, warmer, or wetter seasons could impact how potatoes looked at purchase.
‘During growing, slight variations in environmental conditions—such as drier, warmer or wetter conditions than usual—can lead to some minor aesthetic differences in a crop, but it is difficult to determine from the pictures supplied, without further analysis.’
They further noted that retailers only accepted produce that met strict standards, but the storage and handling after that point was in the hands of the supermarkets.
‘Retailers only accept produce that meets their standards, so anything supplied by a grower to a retailer must be of a very high standard on delivery. Once a retailer has accepted a shipment from a grower, any further arrangements for shipping, storage and delivery to shelf would be a consideration for them.’
‘Anything that retailers do make available for sale is also subject to rigorous food safety standards and testing.’
Specific questions about quality at the point of sale would need to be directed to individual retailers.
Woolworths shared that they were unaware of any major complaints regarding potato quality.
‘We’re not aware of this issue being raised directly with us by customers,’ a Woolworths spokesperson said.
‘We work closely with our potato growers throughout the growing season, maintaining communication and conducting farm visits to ensure a shared understanding of quality standards and to select potatoes that meet consumer expectations.’
Meanwhile, the frustrations around dodgy bagged potatoes added to the growing list of small annoyances shoppers faced while trying to stretch their dollar further.
Still, experts reassured that despite the aesthetic issues, Australian potatoes remained among the highest quality in the world.
With rising prices forcing many Aussies to rethink their shopping habits, have you also noticed changes in the quality of fresh produce? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
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seem to have gone off in the last couple of years. Maybe they have been kept too long by the supermarkets.
