![[Vic] M&Ms 150g Chocolate Blocks $0.50 @ Coles Gippsland Centre, Sale](https://files.ozbargain.com.au/n/84/354084.jpg?h=c1541893)
$0.50 for a block cant really go wrong.
This was in Sale 3850 Vic.
[Vic] M&Ms 150g Chocolate Blocks $0.50 @ Coles Gippsland Centre, Sale
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djfish31 on 07/01/2018 - 16:16 files.ozbargain.com.au (2393 clicks)
Last edited 07/01/2018 - 20:51 by 2 other users
Last edited 07/01/2018 - 20:51 by 2 other users
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Exactly the reason I have never brought a block. They should have invested in upgrading the Ballarat factory to produce the blocks instead.
Mars Inc. are a bunch of cheapskates, so of course they won't manufacture here.
The Aussie consumer is the cheapskate who won't pay more for the product, forcing them to compete on price alone. And the only way to compete seems to be lowering the cost of production —-> move manufacturing overseas.
Feels strange saying this on OzB website
@dangerdanger: Jobs going overseas, employees asking for pay raises and rising cost of living. How do you solve this issue?
@supaderp:
at least those companies paying tax in Australia right?
isn't that better then manufacturing locally and then face the bankruptcy ?@dangerdanger: Have you seen the RRP on these? Even if it were produced in Aus there is no way I would be paying that much. A 200gm block of chocolate is not worth any more than $3 to me, it is on special for $2.49 often enough anyway.
What do you mean? The usual RRP for this product is so high it is priced like a premium block of chocolate when it clearly isn't.
Not to say that I don't find them tasty though!
@nubzy: I think your reply sort of proves my point. No way you would pay that much. So to maintain profit margin, move production overseas. Cheaper labour, cheaper taxes (too bad Aussie govt), sell the same crap for same crappy price with same crappy fake RRP, but the profit margin is maintained.
@supaderp: Can't have millionaires on every corner block… Not realistic. Some (or most) have to settle for less.
Less wages, less perks, less holidays.
That's what happens when the good times end. Or in this situation, when the "good generation" ends, reality sets in again.
@dangerdanger: >the only way to compete
Yeah, you might want to take a look at Mars, Inc profits before dreaming up some non-existent scenario where Mars are suffering, "forced" to move factories, because the Aussie consumer isn't paying.
Ludicrous.
@dangerdanger: "the good generation"? What the hell is that supposed to mean?
you mean the one that wasn't sold out for globalisation and free trade?
@diamondd: Yep. And where wages went up and up, and we lived in our own small world… Until the world found us
As other people said already, there is nothing cheapskate about paying $5 for a block of chocolate.
People pay that, so Mars is to blame here for being greedy.Are you suggesting blocks should be $10 so they can be produced locally? Or is Mars just charging top dollar with top margins already?
@supaderp:
follow the scandinavian or more enlightened european model, not the trump and turnbull model
doesn't matter they make it in the Ballarat factory or China, they have "imported ingredients" from oversea (China i guess), mix and pack in "the Ballarat factory" make any differences?!
they have "imported ingredients" from oversea (China i guess)
Melamine included?
na we got those, Australia's milk powders got Melamine too, u don't watch the news do u ?
not much cocoa grown in Aus mate - most large scale choc will be made from imported ingredients.
not just cocoa but ya, thats what im saying，
u have to import most of the ingredients, mix and pack in Australia won't make it more tasty or "safer" as someone mentioned.
lol if it is anything like the McCain factory that pay potato inspectors (one lady I know of) 100k + benefits for doing a pretty unskilled job, no wonder they don't want to produce them there. It isn't the cost of upgrade a factory, it is the obscene wages they have to pay and the outages due to heavy union involvement (personally I am not against unions but they don't help themselves at this place).
$100,000 just to look at a potato? Damn the unions. Why should people who have no useful skills earn this much?
@jelko: The squeaky wheel gets the grease… In this case, the unions hold the factory to ransom, and wages become stupid. Everyone now expects those wages.
… until the factory is no longer viable and closes because it can't compete. Everyone loses.
what doesn't ?
$0.50 for a block cant really go wrong.
oh yesss you can
'Melts in your car, not in your mouth'
Can anyone confirm if these are 50c at other stores?
did not see it at my local store, Asquith NSW.
$1.50 at ivanhoe
Lake Haven NSW had Almond for $1.50, everything else was still $4.80 😔
Why is the strawberry one 300% more expensive?
Why is this one 300% cheaper?
Why is the other one 300% cheaper?
it has 300% more strawberries
Quick mafs
Why isn’t the strawberry one 300% cheaper?
Lucky I don't believe in New Years diets!
Springfield , QLD , Have these for $1.50
50 cents a block is still overpriced.I don't think I have ever seen them at full price yet.
This chocolate is worse than home brand chocolate.so much cheap chocolate available at the moment. went shopping today in canberra and saw heaps of 75% Christmas chocolate still available.
Where ?
big w civic had heaps.
Yeah big w is the only place I’ve come across
Cheap because most people have realized it's rubbish chocolate?
Agreed. I don't think this product line has much future. Originally it was displayed prominently in Coles like Cadbury and Lindt.
I mean, it sounds like something I would enjoy, but they cheaped out and ruined it.
Nice.
Still 4.50 in my local.
These are not on sale at Coburg, Coburg North or Airport West.
No thanks, I’d prefer to give my money to Cadbury or Nestle that manufacture their block chocolate in Australia. This way, people in Australia will have jobs. Mars should be manufacturing their block range here in Australia instead of importing from China.
lol people have problems with Mars chocolates but have no problem piling into Xiaomi products (like their cameras) instead of local businesses (like Swann etc.)
Does that mean we should all neg your treasonous TV deals as I'm 99% sure Panasonic don't build their stock in Australia?
I reported the neg but apparently he gave a reason for it (even if the reason is against the rules) so it stays.
No manufacturers build TVs in Australia. There just is no market nor the expertise to do it here. Making chocolate (or most food) however is something that can and should be done in Australia since all the ingredients are already here.
Plus I wouldn't trust any food that comes out of China. They use poison in their own babies milk formula over there… Would hate to imagine the crap that gets put into food that is sold to people outside of the country.
Food is probably worse within the country. If they export crap food, they will have crap sales. Where as within people don't have a choice and therefore they buy anything that is edible. Quite sad for those people who have to put up with it :(
once again, whats not made in China this days,
for the foods, it may not cook/pack in China, but some of the ingredients ar imported from China, look at the contained, if u c the sugar then is mose likly artificial sugar and its from China.btw the poison in their babies milk formula is called "Melamine", we got that in our Australia made formula too, company who Made this is called "Nestle"~~.
It's still a mars factory adhering to Mars rules, regulations, ingredients and food safety.
If it were a chinese company I'd be a little more wary.
don't know about Cadbury but companies like Nestle ar cheapskates, they cheat to get the MADE IN AUSTRALIA tag.
for example the Milo, they just import everything from oversear, what they have to do in Australia just mix the powders and fill them in a can.
whats the point of this kind of "manufacture"??New labelling will fix these situations.
Even my Chinese relatives (wife’s side) check to see if the Asian food is ‘Made in China’. They don’t trust them either.
I was surprised that you can buy a lot of Asian food that is Australian/Nee Zealand made like century egg. It a growing market.
Ironic that I spotted these at full price and said to my partner "looks a bit short on stock, bet they are discontinued soon" seems I was right. Made in China or not, the chocolate in these blocks wasn't quite right (but nicer and less gritty than Cadbury stuff now) so I didn't touch it again.
Probably costs less than 50 cents to make it in China.
It’s not just block chocolate either - m&m’s minis also made in China. Mercifully the rest are still packaged here, with - as others have pointed out, mostly imported ingredients.
The other one that bugs me is frozen berries. We have tremendous product but can’t (or won’t) freeze and zip lock. Instead we eat frozen and occasionally tainted berries from far away places.
Coles sell a local brand of frozen berries, called 'Matildas'. Grown, picked and frozen in Victoria.
Walk the walk and go buy it!
Thanks for the tip!
And that display stand looks strangely positioned in the fresh fruit and vegetable section… not from the Coles merchandising guide!
Called to check store first… Manager said yeah no worries limit of 6 per customer…
After arriving at both local Coles..
No discount.He can expect further calls this week purley intended to waste his time!
Funny how ppl in other countries who got their hands on this all loved it…While we're like "it's made in china..ew". I didn't like it much when i tried it either.
unsure if its worth the 4 hour drive?
A true ozbargainer doesn’t buy unhealthy foods.
Please enlighten us with tips on where to find healthy chocolate.
No such thing as healthy chocolate. Go eat a apple or potato, that is good for you.
The word is still out on potatoes, lots of carbs in there.
unsweetened dark chocolate in moderation is supposed to be healthy
If only they weren't awful.
(Bring back the crispy mint M&Ms!)
Are there a lot of sales in Sale?
Made in China