Furious shopper slams Woolworths over 'insulting' pricing of popular kids food
- Replies 13
Shoppers aren’t happy with Woolworths right now.
The supermarket giant has come under fire because of an outraged shopper, who accused the supermarket giant of ‘trying to gaslight’ Australians and accused Woolworths of engaging in unfair pricing practices when it comes to an Aussie favourite snack.
Sharing her frustrations on Facebook, the shopper was unhappy with the steep price tag on display for Woolworths’ Smiths Snack Mix Box. The boxes contain 20 mini packs of chips and are currently priced at $8.90 in-store and online which is significantly more expensive than competitors.
BIG W has the same multi-pack variety priced at $6.50. Coles previously held the same price as BIG W, but is now selling the snack mix box at the same price tag as Woolies.
In her post, the shopper was unhappy with the price she saw on display during her grocery run.
‘Low price of $8.90? Please stop trying to gaslight us, Woolworths!’ She wrote.
In June last year, it’s believed that the packs were priced at $5.75.
A spokesperson from Woolworths told reporters that the store is committed to offering ‘deals’ to give customers value for their money.
‘We remain focused on maximising value for our customers and recently reduced the price of more than 300 summer grocery staples as part of our Prices Dropped campaign, on top of the 5000 specials we offer every week,’ they claimed.
The spokesperson added that their deals included a number of Smiths Chips Packs (175g packs) whose prices have dropped to $2.50.
‘The Prices Dropped for Summer campaign will run until February 21, 2023,’ they continued.
Food pricing is as much of an art as it is a science, as supermarkets try to balance making a profit while still appealing to their customers. One tactic used by supermarkets is to market foods as being a 'low price', which can make shoppers feel as if they are getting a bargain, even if the price is higher than what is available elsewhere.
This is known as ‘psychological pricing’, or a strategy to influence a customer’s spending habits to make higher value sales. It plays on the fact that consumers rarely know what something should cost. This is why price comparison check-ins should be done whenever you’re buying groceries. However, not everyone has enough time to run a thorough check.
Psychological pricing also relies on simple changes that trick the brain. For example, a store can decrease $12 by a cent (to $11.99) and the brain will register this as closer to $11 and not $12.
It's important to do some research before you shop to make sure you're getting the best value for your money.
Members, what are your thoughts? Let us know in the comments below!
The supermarket giant has come under fire because of an outraged shopper, who accused the supermarket giant of ‘trying to gaslight’ Australians and accused Woolworths of engaging in unfair pricing practices when it comes to an Aussie favourite snack.
Sharing her frustrations on Facebook, the shopper was unhappy with the steep price tag on display for Woolworths’ Smiths Snack Mix Box. The boxes contain 20 mini packs of chips and are currently priced at $8.90 in-store and online which is significantly more expensive than competitors.
BIG W has the same multi-pack variety priced at $6.50. Coles previously held the same price as BIG W, but is now selling the snack mix box at the same price tag as Woolies.
In her post, the shopper was unhappy with the price she saw on display during her grocery run.
‘Low price of $8.90? Please stop trying to gaslight us, Woolworths!’ She wrote.
In June last year, it’s believed that the packs were priced at $5.75.
A spokesperson from Woolworths told reporters that the store is committed to offering ‘deals’ to give customers value for their money.
‘We remain focused on maximising value for our customers and recently reduced the price of more than 300 summer grocery staples as part of our Prices Dropped campaign, on top of the 5000 specials we offer every week,’ they claimed.
The spokesperson added that their deals included a number of Smiths Chips Packs (175g packs) whose prices have dropped to $2.50.
‘The Prices Dropped for Summer campaign will run until February 21, 2023,’ they continued.
Food pricing is as much of an art as it is a science, as supermarkets try to balance making a profit while still appealing to their customers. One tactic used by supermarkets is to market foods as being a 'low price', which can make shoppers feel as if they are getting a bargain, even if the price is higher than what is available elsewhere.
This is known as ‘psychological pricing’, or a strategy to influence a customer’s spending habits to make higher value sales. It plays on the fact that consumers rarely know what something should cost. This is why price comparison check-ins should be done whenever you’re buying groceries. However, not everyone has enough time to run a thorough check.
Psychological pricing also relies on simple changes that trick the brain. For example, a store can decrease $12 by a cent (to $11.99) and the brain will register this as closer to $11 and not $12.
It's important to do some research before you shop to make sure you're getting the best value for your money.
Key Takeaways
- Woolworths customers have accused the supermarket giant of trying ‘to gaslight’ Australians over the price of a popular Aussie snack.
- The Smiths Snack Mix Box is priced at $8.90, which is significantly higher than competitors such as BIG W, who have the packs priced at $6.50.
- A Woolworths spokesperson has said that the supermarket is committed to offering deals across its entire range and has recently reduced the price of more than 300 summer grocery staples as part of its Prices Dropped campaign.