Woman exposes price gouging on common bathroom item
- Replies 26
Inflation is starting to worry many Aussies as prices continue to rise. It becomes especially concerning when it affects everyday necessities, such as food and healthcare.
However, amidst all this, there's a lesser-known controversy brewing involving major supermarkets, Woolies and Coles, and it's related to a rather unexpected item: bathroom supplies.
It all started when a shopper took to social media to expose what she deemed an outrageous price for Schick Hydro 5 Sensitive razor blades.
In the video clip, she held up an eight-pack of razor blades and shared that its cost was an eye-watering $43 at both Coles and Woolies.
It didn't take long for the video to attract a reaction from thousands of other shoppers, all of whom expressed their outrage at the sky-high asking price.
To put the cost into perspective, the shopper added that 'There are people in Australia right now who will literally have to work two hours to be able to afford a pack of eight razors.'
The shopper noticed that the Schick blades being sold in supermarkets were much pricier compared to Schick's own Hydro 5 Sense Hydrate with Coconut Oil. The shopper found out that the blades were available for only $9.50 (price at the time of writing) at the Shaver Shop.
The difference in the products can be partially explained as the Schick blades sold by the Shaver Shop were discontinued by the company and usually sold for around the $39 mark before being reduced in price for a sale.
But even so, the outrage from shoppers was still justified.
One user said, 'And the staff still get minimum wage …’.
Others expressed anxiety over the rising cost of groceries, with one user noting that within three weeks, the cost of cheese had gone from $7 to $12. Another user commented that they had stopped buying anything from the two chain stores unless it was on sale.
Woolworths was quick to respond to the issue. To explain the cost discrepancy, a representative commented that 'Each week, different retailers offer different specials' and that 'At Woolworths, we offer specials on 6000 products every week to help our customers' shop go further.'
The supermarket also clarified that it hadn't stocked Schick's specialised razor blades for around a year, but it still sells a more basic shaving blade pack for the much more reasonable price of 22 cents per blade head.
The controversy comes amidst a growing cost-of-living crisis in Australia, with Compare the Market's Household Budget Barometer recently revealing that 26.3 per cent of Australian adults admitted their savings were going back because they had to dip into their savings to pay for everyday costs.
To make things worse, rising electricity, fuel, and food prices mean that the majority of Australian households are only just getting by, with 63 per cent of those surveyed expressing concern over the cost of groceries.
Despite all of this, worryingly, almost half of those surveyed also admitted they hadn't shopped around for a better deal to try and save during the past 12 months.
Compare the Market's General Manager of Money, Mr Stephen Zeller, said: 'There has been an unprecedented financial change in the last 12 months, and unfortunately, the turmoil doesn't look likely to end anytime soon.'
He went on to state that 'What could be a small change for some households could make a world of difference for people doing it tough.'
Recent analysis has uncovered a troubling truth: it is not Australian wages but rather excessive corporate profits that are driving the alarming surge in the cost of living. This revelation has prompted strong criticism.
The Australian Institute has conducted a rigorous examination, revealing that inflation would have remained within the desired range set by the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) if companies had not burdened consumers with exorbitant price increases throughout the pandemic.
According to the study, Australian businesses have hiked prices by a staggering $160 billion annually, surpassing what was necessary to offset mounting expenses related to labour, taxes, and supply chain challenges.
This excess imposition on consumers has further exacerbated the already burdensome cost of living.
This situation clearly demonstrates the value of doing our homework and exploring different options when it comes to shopping. It also highlights the somewhat 'unfair' pricing practices of certain supermarkets regarding their products.
Members, what do you all think about this matter? Have you encountered outrageously inflated prices for certain items at other stores? We'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!
However, amidst all this, there's a lesser-known controversy brewing involving major supermarkets, Woolies and Coles, and it's related to a rather unexpected item: bathroom supplies.
It all started when a shopper took to social media to expose what she deemed an outrageous price for Schick Hydro 5 Sensitive razor blades.
In the video clip, she held up an eight-pack of razor blades and shared that its cost was an eye-watering $43 at both Coles and Woolies.
It didn't take long for the video to attract a reaction from thousands of other shoppers, all of whom expressed their outrage at the sky-high asking price.
To put the cost into perspective, the shopper added that 'There are people in Australia right now who will literally have to work two hours to be able to afford a pack of eight razors.'
The shopper noticed that the Schick blades being sold in supermarkets were much pricier compared to Schick's own Hydro 5 Sense Hydrate with Coconut Oil. The shopper found out that the blades were available for only $9.50 (price at the time of writing) at the Shaver Shop.
The difference in the products can be partially explained as the Schick blades sold by the Shaver Shop were discontinued by the company and usually sold for around the $39 mark before being reduced in price for a sale.
But even so, the outrage from shoppers was still justified.
One user said, 'And the staff still get minimum wage …’.
Others expressed anxiety over the rising cost of groceries, with one user noting that within three weeks, the cost of cheese had gone from $7 to $12. Another user commented that they had stopped buying anything from the two chain stores unless it was on sale.
Woolworths was quick to respond to the issue. To explain the cost discrepancy, a representative commented that 'Each week, different retailers offer different specials' and that 'At Woolworths, we offer specials on 6000 products every week to help our customers' shop go further.'
The supermarket also clarified that it hadn't stocked Schick's specialised razor blades for around a year, but it still sells a more basic shaving blade pack for the much more reasonable price of 22 cents per blade head.
The controversy comes amidst a growing cost-of-living crisis in Australia, with Compare the Market's Household Budget Barometer recently revealing that 26.3 per cent of Australian adults admitted their savings were going back because they had to dip into their savings to pay for everyday costs.
To make things worse, rising electricity, fuel, and food prices mean that the majority of Australian households are only just getting by, with 63 per cent of those surveyed expressing concern over the cost of groceries.
Despite all of this, worryingly, almost half of those surveyed also admitted they hadn't shopped around for a better deal to try and save during the past 12 months.
Compare the Market's General Manager of Money, Mr Stephen Zeller, said: 'There has been an unprecedented financial change in the last 12 months, and unfortunately, the turmoil doesn't look likely to end anytime soon.'
He went on to state that 'What could be a small change for some households could make a world of difference for people doing it tough.'
Recent analysis has uncovered a troubling truth: it is not Australian wages but rather excessive corporate profits that are driving the alarming surge in the cost of living. This revelation has prompted strong criticism.
The Australian Institute has conducted a rigorous examination, revealing that inflation would have remained within the desired range set by the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) if companies had not burdened consumers with exorbitant price increases throughout the pandemic.
According to the study, Australian businesses have hiked prices by a staggering $160 billion annually, surpassing what was necessary to offset mounting expenses related to labour, taxes, and supply chain challenges.
This excess imposition on consumers has further exacerbated the already burdensome cost of living.
Key Takeaways
- An Australian woman went viral online for exposing the high price ($43) of Schick Hydro 5 Sensitive razor blades sold at Woolworths and Coles supermarkets.
- Comparatively, an alternative product by Schick, the Hydro 5 Sense Hydrate with Coconut Oil, is stated to be available at Shaver Shop for a much lower price ($9.50 as of writing).
- Many social media users expressed their outrage at the significant price difference, with some accusing the supermarkets of constantly raising their prices.
- The debate aligns with a recent report from Compare the Market, which revealed a significant portion of Australian adults feel their savings are depleting due to the rising cost of living in Australia.
This situation clearly demonstrates the value of doing our homework and exploring different options when it comes to shopping. It also highlights the somewhat 'unfair' pricing practices of certain supermarkets regarding their products.
Members, what do you all think about this matter? Have you encountered outrageously inflated prices for certain items at other stores? We'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!