Is this iconic Aussie footy snack about to disappear? Plummeting sales put its future at risk!
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A quintessential Australian symbol that simply cannot be mistaken is the timeless classic meat pie. Be it a sudden chill in the air or a thrilling footy game, nothing satisfies quite like sinking your teeth into a warm, irresistibly flaky meat pie with the perfect amount of tomato sauce.
They're nearly as iconic as the renowned Sydney Opera House, wouldn't you agree? Yet, troublingly, the crowd-favourite snack is facing a threat, with sales experiencing a sharp decline in recent years.
According to data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), sales of meat pies from both supermarkets and bakeries have been steadily dropping for the past five years, reaching an all-time low in March this year.
Of course, there's a certain rhythm to pie sales in this country. Sales tend to rise (just like a perfect pastry) in the colder months and dip during our sweltering Aussie summers.
But this year, something is different. Our trusty meat pie sales failed to make a comeback. Instead, the figures continued declining, with December sales sharply plummeting like a botched soufflé.
At their worst point, pie sales were 40% lower than their peak in June 2020, when Australia was knee-deep in the pandemic. The ABS data doesn't include pies bought from takeaway shops, though, so it's important to note that this dip is specific to supermarket and bakery pies only.
In an interview with Sunrise, Jon Gisler, owner of Gisler Pies in Queensland, remains optimistic and says he doesn't know where these statistics are coming from but insists that 'Pies are here to stay.'
With a heartfelt dedication to the humble snack, Gisler urges all Aussies to rally around their local bakeries: 'I think everyone just needs to jump in their car and support their local bakeries today,' he said.
So, what's causing this decline in meat pie sales? Some believe the rising cost of living is to blame, forcing budget-conscious buyers to opt for more affordable meal options.
Basic economics supports this notion. As the cost of living bears down, the first thing to go is non-essential purchases.
Social media users have also weighed in on the matter, with one Aussie on Twitter saying: 'I stopped having them because of the price; for a few dollars more, you can buy something better.'
Another wrote: 'I wouldn't say they're not popular. They're just getting too expensive. High cost of living. People are budgeting and are struggling to get the bare essentials.'
Others questioned whether the higher prices of ingredients like beef and pastry could be causing these disappointing stats (as prices increase to accomodate manufacturing costs) – or perhaps there's a cultural shift afoot? Are Aussies swapping their pies for pizzas? Is the golden era of the meat pie slowly fading away?
Only time will tell if this classic Aussie snack can ride out this wave of uncertainty. In the meantime, let's all show our support for the meat pie industry by treating ourselves to a fresh, warm pie – complete with lashings of tomato sauce, of course.
Members, we would love to hear your thoughts. Have you found yourselves still enjoying the occasional meat pie, or have you observed a shift in your purchasing habits? If so, what substitute have you chosen in place of this saucy snack? We eagerly await your opinions, so please share them with us in the comments section below!
They're nearly as iconic as the renowned Sydney Opera House, wouldn't you agree? Yet, troublingly, the crowd-favourite snack is facing a threat, with sales experiencing a sharp decline in recent years.
According to data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), sales of meat pies from both supermarkets and bakeries have been steadily dropping for the past five years, reaching an all-time low in March this year.
Of course, there's a certain rhythm to pie sales in this country. Sales tend to rise (just like a perfect pastry) in the colder months and dip during our sweltering Aussie summers.
But this year, something is different. Our trusty meat pie sales failed to make a comeback. Instead, the figures continued declining, with December sales sharply plummeting like a botched soufflé.
At their worst point, pie sales were 40% lower than their peak in June 2020, when Australia was knee-deep in the pandemic. The ABS data doesn't include pies bought from takeaway shops, though, so it's important to note that this dip is specific to supermarket and bakery pies only.
In an interview with Sunrise, Jon Gisler, owner of Gisler Pies in Queensland, remains optimistic and says he doesn't know where these statistics are coming from but insists that 'Pies are here to stay.'
With a heartfelt dedication to the humble snack, Gisler urges all Aussies to rally around their local bakeries: 'I think everyone just needs to jump in their car and support their local bakeries today,' he said.
So, what's causing this decline in meat pie sales? Some believe the rising cost of living is to blame, forcing budget-conscious buyers to opt for more affordable meal options.
Basic economics supports this notion. As the cost of living bears down, the first thing to go is non-essential purchases.
Social media users have also weighed in on the matter, with one Aussie on Twitter saying: 'I stopped having them because of the price; for a few dollars more, you can buy something better.'
Another wrote: 'I wouldn't say they're not popular. They're just getting too expensive. High cost of living. People are budgeting and are struggling to get the bare essentials.'
Others questioned whether the higher prices of ingredients like beef and pastry could be causing these disappointing stats (as prices increase to accomodate manufacturing costs) – or perhaps there's a cultural shift afoot? Are Aussies swapping their pies for pizzas? Is the golden era of the meat pie slowly fading away?
Only time will tell if this classic Aussie snack can ride out this wave of uncertainty. In the meantime, let's all show our support for the meat pie industry by treating ourselves to a fresh, warm pie – complete with lashings of tomato sauce, of course.
Key Takeaways
- Sales of iconic Australian meat pies have been declining, reaching a five-year low this year, according to data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).
- Seasonal pie sales trends changed in 2022, with sales remaining lower than usual and continuing to decline instead of picking up in winter as expected.
- The ABS data shows that in March of this year, meat pie sales were the lowest since March 2018 and 40% lower than their peak in June 2020.
- Some consumers have stopped buying pies, citing increased prices as the main reason; others question whether it is a cultural shift or higher costs of pie ingredients contributing to the decline.
Members, we would love to hear your thoughts. Have you found yourselves still enjoying the occasional meat pie, or have you observed a shift in your purchasing habits? If so, what substitute have you chosen in place of this saucy snack? We eagerly await your opinions, so please share them with us in the comments section below!