Shoppers taking matters into their own hands: Is it okay to steal from supermarkets amid the cost-of-living crisis?
- Replies 58
It’s no secret there’s been a huge increase in the cost of living across the country. Prices for everything – from everyday essentials to fuel – have soared, and many Australians are finding themselves struggling to stay afloat.
But amid the inflationary pressures, one Melbourne-based comedian is advising everyone to take matters into their own hands…
Comedian Fergus Neal is encouraging shoppers to ‘do their national duty’ and steal from supermarket giant Woolworths..
The 20-something comedian made the petition in a recently shared video on social media. In it, he claimed that inflation is being used as a ‘smoke screen’ by the major retailer as an excuse to increase prices even more.
‘Next time you're at Woolworths, do your Australian duty and steal a g****mn lettuce. Because Woolworths knows, like the European banks uncovered, that it's not wage increases driving inflation, it is the increases in corporate profit,’ Fergus said.
According to Fergus, increased costs due to supply chain issues and energy prices are being passed onto customers despite big corporations making huge profits.
‘Inflation is being used as a smoke screen so that Woolworths can add to their 2 billion a year profit margins instead of easily absorbing costs associated with supply chain issues and energy prices,’ he claimed in the video.
Based on a previous report, large retailers have revealed how they’ve made high-profit results amid the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.
Millionaire businessmen Jack Gance and Mario Verrocchi – owners of the discount retail chain Chemist Warehouse – reportedly sat at numbers 60 and 63, respectively, on Australia’s Rich List in 2021, despite the pandemic. You can read more about this story here.
Fergus also added that the Reserve Bank is aware of this move by corporations and that their solution is to curb consumer’s ‘spending power’ by ‘demanding wages fail to increase while interest rates do’.
‘Your buying power is being affected so that the buying power of corporate CEOs is not,’ he stated.
Fergus’ petition has since gone viral, receiving more than 37,000 views and more than 150 comments, with many Aussies sharing their disdain for the big supermarket chains, feeling anger at their alleged greed, and citing the need for better pricing power. If you want to watch his video, you can do so below.
‘I’ve completely stopped shopping at Woolworths (or any large corporations) they can f right off,’ one wrote.
‘And people try to say corporate greed isn’t real, so many people literally defend the government and big corporations bending everyone over,’ someone else commented.
Another social media user said they were angry at every company who claimed that they were losing profits due to COVID-19 only to report that they ‘made record profits’.
‘If no staffed checkouts are open and I have to do the work myself, I take something for the effort,’ they added.
Theft is a criminal offence and can carry a penalty of up to five years imprisonment—the police deal with minor incidents (involving products valued at less than $150). Offenders are also issued an on-the-spot theft infringement notice.
Woolworths has yet to comment on the matter.
Woolworths recently posted a $907 million profit for the first half of the 2022 to 2023 financial year – a 14% increase from the previous year. Brad Banducci, Woolworths CEO, said that despite the continued supply chain challenges, most of the supermarket’s customer metrics improved during this time frame.
‘Our first half result benefitted from a focus on improving our customer shopping experience, restoring our operating rhythm, the non-recurrence of material COVID costs in the prior year and strong seasonal trading,’ he told reporters.
He continued: ‘Cost-of-living pressures are being felt by our customers due to industry-wide inflation, and helping all our customers get their Woolies worth remains our number one priority.’
Meanwhile, Coles posted a half-yearly result that saw total revenue of $20.8 billion and a profit of $616 million – up 17.1 per cent. According to the figures, the retailer’s total revenue was $12.4 million less than its rival – Woolworths saw $291 million more in profit.
National carrier Qantas also recorded a $1.4 billion profit, while the Commonwealth Bank of Australia reported a staggering $5.15 billion profit – a 9 per cent increase in revenue.
Research has also shown that excessive corporate profits – and not Australian wages – were behind the skyrocketing cost of living. The Australia Institute, a significant thinktank in the country, argued that big business earnings account for 69 per cent of the inflation, which is above the target range of two to three per cent.
Economist Dr Jim Stanford claimed that without excessive corporate price increases and profits, the Reserve Bank’s nine consecutive interest rate hikes would have been ‘unlikely’.
The Australian Council of Trade Unions Secretary Sally McManus said: ’Inflation is being fed by these companies putting up prices far more than they need to.’
‘Wage growth is clearly not contributing to inflation. Any wage rises in 2022, and early 2023 have been eaten up by price rises and interest rate rises.’
Ms McManus also claimed that major retailers have been increasing prices more than necessary, and their workers are feeling the pinch.
‘Big companies know people have no choice other than to pay the prices they set for essentials such as groceries and energy, and business is making record profits and driving up inflation.’
Members, what do you think about this story? Are big supermarkets’ profits fuelling the inflation crisis? Do you think it’s okay to steal in this circumstance? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
But amid the inflationary pressures, one Melbourne-based comedian is advising everyone to take matters into their own hands…
Comedian Fergus Neal is encouraging shoppers to ‘do their national duty’ and steal from supermarket giant Woolworths..
The 20-something comedian made the petition in a recently shared video on social media. In it, he claimed that inflation is being used as a ‘smoke screen’ by the major retailer as an excuse to increase prices even more.
‘Next time you're at Woolworths, do your Australian duty and steal a g****mn lettuce. Because Woolworths knows, like the European banks uncovered, that it's not wage increases driving inflation, it is the increases in corporate profit,’ Fergus said.
The comedian is urging everyone to steal lettuce from Woolworths. Credit: Daian Gan/Pexels
According to Fergus, increased costs due to supply chain issues and energy prices are being passed onto customers despite big corporations making huge profits.
‘Inflation is being used as a smoke screen so that Woolworths can add to their 2 billion a year profit margins instead of easily absorbing costs associated with supply chain issues and energy prices,’ he claimed in the video.
Based on a previous report, large retailers have revealed how they’ve made high-profit results amid the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.
Millionaire businessmen Jack Gance and Mario Verrocchi – owners of the discount retail chain Chemist Warehouse – reportedly sat at numbers 60 and 63, respectively, on Australia’s Rich List in 2021, despite the pandemic. You can read more about this story here.
He claimed that major retailers are using inflation as an excuse to drive up prices. Credit: The Fergus Neal/TikTok
Fergus also added that the Reserve Bank is aware of this move by corporations and that their solution is to curb consumer’s ‘spending power’ by ‘demanding wages fail to increase while interest rates do’.
‘Your buying power is being affected so that the buying power of corporate CEOs is not,’ he stated.
Fergus’ petition has since gone viral, receiving more than 37,000 views and more than 150 comments, with many Aussies sharing their disdain for the big supermarket chains, feeling anger at their alleged greed, and citing the need for better pricing power. If you want to watch his video, you can do so below.
‘I’ve completely stopped shopping at Woolworths (or any large corporations) they can f right off,’ one wrote.
‘And people try to say corporate greed isn’t real, so many people literally defend the government and big corporations bending everyone over,’ someone else commented.
Another social media user said they were angry at every company who claimed that they were losing profits due to COVID-19 only to report that they ‘made record profits’.
‘If no staffed checkouts are open and I have to do the work myself, I take something for the effort,’ they added.
Theft is a criminal offence and can carry a penalty of up to five years imprisonment—the police deal with minor incidents (involving products valued at less than $150). Offenders are also issued an on-the-spot theft infringement notice.
Woolworths has yet to comment on the matter.
Woolworths recently posted a $907 million profit for the first half of the 2022 to 2023 financial year – a 14% increase from the previous year. Brad Banducci, Woolworths CEO, said that despite the continued supply chain challenges, most of the supermarket’s customer metrics improved during this time frame.
‘Our first half result benefitted from a focus on improving our customer shopping experience, restoring our operating rhythm, the non-recurrence of material COVID costs in the prior year and strong seasonal trading,’ he told reporters.
He continued: ‘Cost-of-living pressures are being felt by our customers due to industry-wide inflation, and helping all our customers get their Woolies worth remains our number one priority.’
Meanwhile, Coles posted a half-yearly result that saw total revenue of $20.8 billion and a profit of $616 million – up 17.1 per cent. According to the figures, the retailer’s total revenue was $12.4 million less than its rival – Woolworths saw $291 million more in profit.
National carrier Qantas also recorded a $1.4 billion profit, while the Commonwealth Bank of Australia reported a staggering $5.15 billion profit – a 9 per cent increase in revenue.
Research has also shown that excessive corporate profits – and not Australian wages – were behind the skyrocketing cost of living. The Australia Institute, a significant thinktank in the country, argued that big business earnings account for 69 per cent of the inflation, which is above the target range of two to three per cent.
Economist Dr Jim Stanford claimed that without excessive corporate price increases and profits, the Reserve Bank’s nine consecutive interest rate hikes would have been ‘unlikely’.
The Australian Council of Trade Unions Secretary Sally McManus said: ’Inflation is being fed by these companies putting up prices far more than they need to.’
‘Wage growth is clearly not contributing to inflation. Any wage rises in 2022, and early 2023 have been eaten up by price rises and interest rate rises.’
Ms McManus also claimed that major retailers have been increasing prices more than necessary, and their workers are feeling the pinch.
‘Big companies know people have no choice other than to pay the prices they set for essentials such as groceries and energy, and business is making record profits and driving up inflation.’
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