Discovery of old receipt exposes the harsh grocery truth: ‘We’re being ripped off!'
- Replies 13
As we all navigate the aisles of our local supermarkets, the rising cost of living is becoming an increasingly heavy burden on our wallets.
A recent discovery by an Australian shopper has brought this issue into stark relief, highlighting just how much more we're paying for everyday items compared to just a few years ago.
A Melbourne Woolworths shopper's old receipt from 2021 has surfaced, revealing a grim reality: the prices of basic grocery items have soared, with some doubling in price.
The receipt in question lists items such as Bega cheese, Coca-Cola, Thins chips, Champagne leg ham, Ozkleen prewash stain remover, and Delta ground coffee, all of which have seen significant price hikes.
For instance, a 250g packet of Bega cheese that was $4.50 in 2021 is now $6, discounted from $7.50. Similarly, a 200g bag of Delta ground coffee has jumped from $2.50 to $4.
‘We all knew we’re being ripped off! Australians are now paying up to 200 per cent more for basic grocery items than they were a few years ago!’ she wrote.
‘Oh, but inflations (sic) currently back at around 3.8 per cent…yeh (sic) my a** it is!’
The Australian Bureau of Statistics data indicates that the price of food has risen by 17 per cent for working households since March 2020, before the COVID-19 pandemic.
The grocery price surge has become a focal point amid the cost-of-living crisis, prompting the Australian Consumer and Competition Commission to investigate the sector.
The chair, Gina Cass-Gottlieb, acknowledged the concerns of Australians facing financial pressures and the disconnect between the prices farmers receive and what consumers pay at the checkout.
‘We know grocery prices have become a major concern for the millions of Australians experiencing cost of living pressures,’ she said.
‘When it comes to fresh produce, we understand that many farmers are concerned about weak correlation between the price they receive for their produce and the price consumers pay at the checkout.’
Major supermarkets, including Coles and Woolworths, have defended the price increases, attributing them to supply chain challenges.
Despite this, both companies reported profits of over $1 billion in the last financial year, raising questions about the balance between corporate earnings and fair pricing for consumers.
Outgoing Woolworths CEO Brad Banducci even addressed the issue, stating the company's willingness to forego profits to 'do the right thing' by customers, citing examples such as lowering meat prices during the holiday season.
‘We will, of course, make those decisions,’ he said.
‘We are very sensitive on things like the price of milk, what we would call lunch box items.’
However, the public's trust in these supermarket giants has waned, as evidenced by a Roy Morgan poll that saw Coles and Woolworths plummet in the rankings of Australia's most trusted brands.
Coles dropped from the fifth to the ninth most distrusted brand, while Woolworths dropped 32 places from the second to the 34th most trusted brand.
‘We have been tracking trust and distrust of brands in Australia for more than seven years, but we have never seen a reputational crash as dramatic as Coles and Woolworths—not even Qantas,’ Roy Morgan Chief Michele Levine said.
‘This is in direct contrast to the soaring reputational trust that they gained during the pandemic.’
In the search for more affordable options, consumer group CHOICE found that a basket of groceries from ALDI could be around 25 per cent cheaper than those from Coles or Woolworths, offering significant savings to shoppers.
Have you noticed a significant increase in the price of your regular shopping items? How are you adjusting your shopping habits to cope with these changes? Let us know in the comments below!
A recent discovery by an Australian shopper has brought this issue into stark relief, highlighting just how much more we're paying for everyday items compared to just a few years ago.
A Melbourne Woolworths shopper's old receipt from 2021 has surfaced, revealing a grim reality: the prices of basic grocery items have soared, with some doubling in price.
The receipt in question lists items such as Bega cheese, Coca-Cola, Thins chips, Champagne leg ham, Ozkleen prewash stain remover, and Delta ground coffee, all of which have seen significant price hikes.
A shopper’s old receipt from 2021 has shown the grim reality of grocery prices. Credit: @MadsMelbourne / Twitter
For instance, a 250g packet of Bega cheese that was $4.50 in 2021 is now $6, discounted from $7.50. Similarly, a 200g bag of Delta ground coffee has jumped from $2.50 to $4.
‘We all knew we’re being ripped off! Australians are now paying up to 200 per cent more for basic grocery items than they were a few years ago!’ she wrote.
‘Oh, but inflations (sic) currently back at around 3.8 per cent…yeh (sic) my a** it is!’
The Australian Bureau of Statistics data indicates that the price of food has risen by 17 per cent for working households since March 2020, before the COVID-19 pandemic.
The grocery price surge has become a focal point amid the cost-of-living crisis, prompting the Australian Consumer and Competition Commission to investigate the sector.
The chair, Gina Cass-Gottlieb, acknowledged the concerns of Australians facing financial pressures and the disconnect between the prices farmers receive and what consumers pay at the checkout.
‘We know grocery prices have become a major concern for the millions of Australians experiencing cost of living pressures,’ she said.
‘When it comes to fresh produce, we understand that many farmers are concerned about weak correlation between the price they receive for their produce and the price consumers pay at the checkout.’
Major supermarkets, including Coles and Woolworths, have defended the price increases, attributing them to supply chain challenges.
Despite this, both companies reported profits of over $1 billion in the last financial year, raising questions about the balance between corporate earnings and fair pricing for consumers.
Outgoing Woolworths CEO Brad Banducci even addressed the issue, stating the company's willingness to forego profits to 'do the right thing' by customers, citing examples such as lowering meat prices during the holiday season.
‘We will, of course, make those decisions,’ he said.
‘We are very sensitive on things like the price of milk, what we would call lunch box items.’
However, the public's trust in these supermarket giants has waned, as evidenced by a Roy Morgan poll that saw Coles and Woolworths plummet in the rankings of Australia's most trusted brands.
Coles dropped from the fifth to the ninth most distrusted brand, while Woolworths dropped 32 places from the second to the 34th most trusted brand.
‘We have been tracking trust and distrust of brands in Australia for more than seven years, but we have never seen a reputational crash as dramatic as Coles and Woolworths—not even Qantas,’ Roy Morgan Chief Michele Levine said.
‘This is in direct contrast to the soaring reputational trust that they gained during the pandemic.’
In the search for more affordable options, consumer group CHOICE found that a basket of groceries from ALDI could be around 25 per cent cheaper than those from Coles or Woolworths, offering significant savings to shoppers.
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