Shoppers accuse Coles of cost-cutting - Is your favourite item the latest victim of shrinkflation?
- Replies 12
There is no denying that we all appreciate retailers who are able to maintain fair and reasonable prices for their products.
But what we don't like is when companies manage to keep their prices low by cutting the portion size of a product, without informing the customer properly of these changes.
Shrinkflation is an all-too-familiar experience for shoppers, especially now that the skyrocketing cost of living makes it difficult for many people and businesses to make ends meet.
It’s a very irritating problem, and unfortunately, it’s rife in Australia, with customers finding much smaller portions of chips, cheese, soft drinks and other food items sold on shelves for the same price.
While many shoppers are familiar with this tactic, it is still frustrating to encounter, particularly when it affects products that we have been purchasing for years. The disappointment of discovering a change in a familiar product can be jarring.
One such instance of shrinkflation came to light when a Coles shopper and SDC member noticed a significant change to her favourite Coles Beetroot Slaw, while the cost remained the same.
SDC member Margaret was left disappointed and frustrated after she realised that the label on the packet of her mix mismatched its contents.
She wrote: ‘I have been a Coles shopper for many years and have often bought a product called Beetroot Slaw. It sells for $2 and I have always been happy with it until now.’
According to the label in the packet, the mix should contain 42 per cent broccoli, thirty per cent beetroot, and twenty-eight per cent carrot.
However, when Margaret opened it, she noticed that the ratio was all out of whack and that there was more carrot than beetroot and broccoli, even though she regularly buys the product primarily for its beetroot and broccoli content.
She added: ‘The last packet I bought, I believe is more like ninety per cent carrot, ninety-five per cent broccoli, and five per cent beetroot’.
‘The packet was the best of a bad bunch to choose from. As I needed something quickly for that evening meal, I still bought it.’
Margaret said that while she enjoys the convenience of pre-packaged beetroot slaw mix — the bonus of saving time and the mess that comes with grating your own vegetables — she was disappointed by the fact that the company 'cheated' her.
'I removed the Beetroot and Broccoli and used only a small amount of the carrot, which I combined with other ingredients to make my slaw,’ she wrote.
‘The finished result was good, but unfortunately, I could not make as much as I usually do, due to the lack of beetroot.’
Coles has yet to comment on the issue.
It should be noted that the retailer also has a ‘Love It Or Money Back’ program, which encourages customers who are not completely satisfied with their purchases to return the item to the store for a full refund or a replacement. More information about this scheme can be found here.
Margaret's story reminds us of how vigilant we must be as grocery shoppers - especially during the times when the cost of everyday essentials has shot through the roof.
If you encounter any instances like Margaret's in your local supermarket, be sure to speak to their staff and see what options are available - whether it be a refund, a replacement or even just an explanation as to why the current product mixes now contain a different amount of ingredients.
Additionally, you can always take the time to compare items before buying and research the stores that offer good value for money.
What are your thoughts on this, folks? Do you think retailers should be more transparent with the changes they impose on their products? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
But what we don't like is when companies manage to keep their prices low by cutting the portion size of a product, without informing the customer properly of these changes.
Shrinkflation is an all-too-familiar experience for shoppers, especially now that the skyrocketing cost of living makes it difficult for many people and businesses to make ends meet.
It’s a very irritating problem, and unfortunately, it’s rife in Australia, with customers finding much smaller portions of chips, cheese, soft drinks and other food items sold on shelves for the same price.
While many shoppers are familiar with this tactic, it is still frustrating to encounter, particularly when it affects products that we have been purchasing for years. The disappointment of discovering a change in a familiar product can be jarring.
One such instance of shrinkflation came to light when a Coles shopper and SDC member noticed a significant change to her favourite Coles Beetroot Slaw, while the cost remained the same.
SDC member Margaret was left disappointed and frustrated after she realised that the label on the packet of her mix mismatched its contents.
She wrote: ‘I have been a Coles shopper for many years and have often bought a product called Beetroot Slaw. It sells for $2 and I have always been happy with it until now.’
Margaret claimed that she had been buying Coles' Beetroot Slaw for several years and was content with the product until a recent incident. Credit: Supplied/Seniors Discount Club.
According to the label in the packet, the mix should contain 42 per cent broccoli, thirty per cent beetroot, and twenty-eight per cent carrot.
However, when Margaret opened it, she noticed that the ratio was all out of whack and that there was more carrot than beetroot and broccoli, even though she regularly buys the product primarily for its beetroot and broccoli content.
She added: ‘The last packet I bought, I believe is more like ninety per cent carrot, ninety-five per cent broccoli, and five per cent beetroot’.
‘The packet was the best of a bad bunch to choose from. As I needed something quickly for that evening meal, I still bought it.’
Margaret said that while she enjoys the convenience of pre-packaged beetroot slaw mix — the bonus of saving time and the mess that comes with grating your own vegetables — she was disappointed by the fact that the company 'cheated' her.
The customer alleged that the quantity of beetroot and broccoli specified on the packaging label did not match the actual contents of the packet. Credit: Supplied/Seniors Discount Club.
'I removed the Beetroot and Broccoli and used only a small amount of the carrot, which I combined with other ingredients to make my slaw,’ she wrote.
‘The finished result was good, but unfortunately, I could not make as much as I usually do, due to the lack of beetroot.’
Coles has yet to comment on the issue.
It should be noted that the retailer also has a ‘Love It Or Money Back’ program, which encourages customers who are not completely satisfied with their purchases to return the item to the store for a full refund or a replacement. More information about this scheme can be found here.
Margaret's story reminds us of how vigilant we must be as grocery shoppers - especially during the times when the cost of everyday essentials has shot through the roof.
If you encounter any instances like Margaret's in your local supermarket, be sure to speak to their staff and see what options are available - whether it be a refund, a replacement or even just an explanation as to why the current product mixes now contain a different amount of ingredients.
Additionally, you can always take the time to compare items before buying and research the stores that offer good value for money.
What are your thoughts on this, folks? Do you think retailers should be more transparent with the changes they impose on their products? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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