This Mother's Day display at Woolworths causes uproar: ‘Go on, spoil your mum!’
- Replies 20
Mother's Day is a special occasion to honour and celebrate the incredible women who have nurtured and supported their children and grandchildren through thick and thin.
It's a day for showing appreciation and love, often with thoughtful gifts and gestures.
However, a recent Mother's Day display at a Woolworths store has sparked a fiery debate online, leaving many to question the message it sends about the roles and expectations of mothers in society.
A Woolies shopper took to social media to share an image of the store's Mother's Day gift selection, which, at first glance, seemed to include the usual suspects: stuffed toys, slippers, and mugs adorned with Mother's Day sentiments.
But upon closer inspection, the display also featured items that struck a chord with many—large containers of Palmolive dishwashing liquid, Cold Power laundry detergent, dishwashing tablets, and even $50 woks were nestled among the pink-themed gifts.
'Go on, spoil your mum on Mother's Day!' the user sarcastically captioned the image.
‘I don’t even know where to start on this cluster f*** of fail.’
The sentiment was echoed by many who felt outraged, with comments pouring with criticism.
‘Because every mum wants her image to be reduced to that of primary housekeeper and collector of cheap, pink plushies,’ one said.
Another said, ‘No, no, nothing quite says “I love you, mum” like bulk liquid Cold Power. If it was Omo, then it would just be insensitive.
A third added, ‘What adult woman would want a fluffy pink soft toy? [What] do they think we are, toddlers?’
However, amidst the intense reactions, some offered a different perspective, suggesting that the cleaning products might not have been intentionally placed with the Mother's Day gifts.
Another social media user, believed to be a Woolworths employee, explained the placing of these products.
‘The stuff on the left is just leftover from an allocation all stores got a few weeks back. “Bulk” version of stock Woolworths sells with a “while stocks last” ticket price,’ they said.
‘Not only do stores often get given more stock than they need, but they’ve got limited promotional space, and when various events are being hammered out, it leads to weird displays like this as staff try and find places to put everything.’
While the display alarmed some, others humorously argued that they would prefer practical gifts like cleaning supplies over traditional Mother's Day trinkets.
'Honestly, buy me everyday consumables over a giant burden of a mass-produced teddy bear every day of the week,' one commenter said.
‘Do I have to keep that thing until I die? Or eventually have to feel bad for getting rid of the impulse buy you’ve been conditioned to give me on a particular day?’
‘Laundry liquid/dishwashing powder and a small card would be amazing. I can keep a card, but I can’t keep that monstrosity of a bear.’
Another said, ‘I’d rather have the dishwasher tablets than any pink b******t.’
A third added, ‘Considering the price of them these days I’ll happily accept a gift of dishwashing tablets. I mean, it’s free dishwashing tablets.’
‘I get my parents dishwasher tablets or laundry powder, etc., every Mother’s Day/Father’s Day. It started off as a joke gift, so it meets the narrow niche of running joke/useful gift,’ another shared.
The discussion also sparked a broader conversation about what mothers truly desire for Mother's Day.
‘Asked mum what she wants, and she said “If everyone could f*** off and leave me alone for ten minutes that’d be lovely [darling].” She’s 60,’ one user said.
‘As a single mum, I feel this in my bones,’ another agreed.
A third said, ‘I would like a card from my child, a (nice) meal I don’t have to cook, and a couple of hours to myself to read a book or something. That’s all, thanks.’
As Mother’s Day draws near, we rush to find the perfect gifts to express love and gratitude. But not everyone has our best interests at heart.
In a previous story, ANZ warned consumers to be vigilant against online shopping scams as Mother’s Day approaches, taking advantage of the occasion's sentimentality. You can read more about the story here.
Have you ever received a gift that missed the mark or one that was unexpectedly perfect? Share your stories and let us know in the comments below!
It's a day for showing appreciation and love, often with thoughtful gifts and gestures.
However, a recent Mother's Day display at a Woolworths store has sparked a fiery debate online, leaving many to question the message it sends about the roles and expectations of mothers in society.
A Woolies shopper took to social media to share an image of the store's Mother's Day gift selection, which, at first glance, seemed to include the usual suspects: stuffed toys, slippers, and mugs adorned with Mother's Day sentiments.
But upon closer inspection, the display also featured items that struck a chord with many—large containers of Palmolive dishwashing liquid, Cold Power laundry detergent, dishwashing tablets, and even $50 woks were nestled among the pink-themed gifts.
A Mother’s Day display on Woolworths showed Mother’s Day branded gifts alongside cleaning products. Credit: Reddit
'Go on, spoil your mum on Mother's Day!' the user sarcastically captioned the image.
‘I don’t even know where to start on this cluster f*** of fail.’
The sentiment was echoed by many who felt outraged, with comments pouring with criticism.
‘Because every mum wants her image to be reduced to that of primary housekeeper and collector of cheap, pink plushies,’ one said.
Another said, ‘No, no, nothing quite says “I love you, mum” like bulk liquid Cold Power. If it was Omo, then it would just be insensitive.
A third added, ‘What adult woman would want a fluffy pink soft toy? [What] do they think we are, toddlers?’
However, amidst the intense reactions, some offered a different perspective, suggesting that the cleaning products might not have been intentionally placed with the Mother's Day gifts.
Another social media user, believed to be a Woolworths employee, explained the placing of these products.
‘The stuff on the left is just leftover from an allocation all stores got a few weeks back. “Bulk” version of stock Woolworths sells with a “while stocks last” ticket price,’ they said.
‘Not only do stores often get given more stock than they need, but they’ve got limited promotional space, and when various events are being hammered out, it leads to weird displays like this as staff try and find places to put everything.’
While the display alarmed some, others humorously argued that they would prefer practical gifts like cleaning supplies over traditional Mother's Day trinkets.
'Honestly, buy me everyday consumables over a giant burden of a mass-produced teddy bear every day of the week,' one commenter said.
‘Do I have to keep that thing until I die? Or eventually have to feel bad for getting rid of the impulse buy you’ve been conditioned to give me on a particular day?’
‘Laundry liquid/dishwashing powder and a small card would be amazing. I can keep a card, but I can’t keep that monstrosity of a bear.’
Another said, ‘I’d rather have the dishwasher tablets than any pink b******t.’
A third added, ‘Considering the price of them these days I’ll happily accept a gift of dishwashing tablets. I mean, it’s free dishwashing tablets.’
‘I get my parents dishwasher tablets or laundry powder, etc., every Mother’s Day/Father’s Day. It started off as a joke gift, so it meets the narrow niche of running joke/useful gift,’ another shared.
The discussion also sparked a broader conversation about what mothers truly desire for Mother's Day.
‘Asked mum what she wants, and she said “If everyone could f*** off and leave me alone for ten minutes that’d be lovely [darling].” She’s 60,’ one user said.
‘As a single mum, I feel this in my bones,’ another agreed.
A third said, ‘I would like a card from my child, a (nice) meal I don’t have to cook, and a couple of hours to myself to read a book or something. That’s all, thanks.’
As Mother’s Day draws near, we rush to find the perfect gifts to express love and gratitude. But not everyone has our best interests at heart.
In a previous story, ANZ warned consumers to be vigilant against online shopping scams as Mother’s Day approaches, taking advantage of the occasion's sentimentality. You can read more about the story here.
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