This was mentioned at a party last night, someone asked me to do so leading up to Christmas.
I've made the decision to buy from independent grocers and butchers, but also be careful & keep in mind what we'll actually need. Anyone else doing the boycott or involved?
In light of the price gouging & record profits debacle of course.
Edit - added poll based on a few opinions. Hopefully captured most?
I have 1 butcher and a corner shop. Corner shop prices are about 2x what Coles and Woolworths sell the same items for. $6.50 for a pack of 3 paper towels. I have also bought expired products from them. Also seen very expired green tasty cheese in the fridge. Extra green extra flavour?
Butcher a single chicken kiev $7. Pizza Family size 12” for $18. (looks like one of the chilled ones from Coles/Woolworths looks to be the same cheese.) 2 sausage rolls $9. Says it all really.
There is a bulk butcher that delivers but I would rather eat my dogs food then buy from them again. "You need to be home from 4am to 7pm" my area doesn't have a dedicated day so it could be 24 to 120 hours time with no notice what so ever. Something goes wrong it's blame/threaten the customer!
So if I am to boycott I reward people who shouldn't be rewarded. If Coles/Woolworths called me a liar or sent me 30 sms with in 5 mins calling me a waste of space and threatened to ban me things might be different. Until then though I wont be boycotting them.
A boycott involves a lot of effort that most can't be bothered with. Sadly won't work with the duopoly they have.
More effective might be for as many as possible to call out their price gouging online, spread the word. Share, share and share again. People with lots of Twitter followers etc. The one thing they do care about is brand damage.
Also a superb opportunity exists right now for one of them to get a competitive advantage. I know what I'd be doing if I was running one of them.
Woolworths have tiny signs up about a new policy for cash withdrawals at registers. You must make a purchase first before they'll allow a cash withdrawal.
Small % margin is besides the point, they're being accused of price gouging and dodgy tactics. Address those issues first then they can focus on other ways to increase their measly % margins that are making them billions.
What evidence do you have of them price gouging and have you looked up what their net profit margin is? I find it hard to believe independents are cheaper than Colesworth for groceries…
Price increases of 20-30% when inflation was never anywhere near that.
Easy for those virtue signalers to post it here on OzBargain.. and just like their Harvey Norman bullshit, walk right on in there and spend as and when required. I would imagine it’s incredibly rare that anyone boycotts these places, despite what they claim, given the big supermarkets are still generally cheaper to buy from, and the constant claims around cost of living.
Let’s also completely ignore that they are privately owned entities and owe you nothing - they’re free to make as much profit as they like, just like you and your business are.. but I’m going to assume most of the whingers don’t have one, so it’s even easier to claim “boycott” from the recliner (that probably came from Harvey Norman).
I’ll continue to shop wherever offers the most competitive pricing and/or stocks the products I want/need.
Waiting for Aldi to finish building opp. Woolies and I'll be going there (and I speak as a wollies shareholder !!!).
I've started getting a few things from aldi but the assisted checkout is a real chore, it just takes forever
What price gouging? They are both publicly traded companies, their detailed financials are available to everyone for free.
Their margins are in the two parts of stuff all range.
But a small percentage of a big number is still a big number, and people look at that big number and their brains explode because they haven't thought about it for more than a fraction of a second.
They are for-profit businesses, not charities.
And even if they were charities it still would not make much of a difference to the price that you pay for groceries.
BS!….same thing is happening in canada with their grocery oligopoly …nz as well.
of course it couldnt be happening here too right????
https://www.cbc.ca/radio/thecurrent/canada-food-price-profit…
"Then on top of it all, there's a great big layer of cream that the supermarkets themselves are collecting. Profits in food retailing are up very, very strongly compared to pre-COVID times," said Stanford, an economist and director of the Centre for Future Work.
Profits are up? That means sales are up. That is all in their annual reports, the margins don't really change.
It is just the usual dishonest scare-mongering reporting.
Tall poppy syndrome…not sure why Australians hate supporting Aussie businesses. Their margins are so small and Coles hires the most amount of Aboriginal people in the country. I simply shop at Colesworth because flybuys and loyalty rewards, it is cheaper than elsewhere and can support a lot of Aussie products. Doesn't mean I don't shop at independents. I don't have to pick a side. Oh, plus the assisted check-outs are great for people like me who just sometimes doesn't want to deal with people.
I have seen people comment about stealing and also walk out of stores with trolleys thinking it is okay because it is a big business and they can take the loss. I really don't get the hate, especially with all the community support they provide too. People will love their iPhones, Amazon, Tesla's, etc. but hate it when Aussie companies want to also do well.
I appreciate your comments - didnt downvote - yep I appreciate Colesworth for those reasons too. Also agree that there's no justifying stealing from businesses big or small. The avoiding is less about not wanting colesworth to do well, and more about unreasonable prices over the last few years.
All good. It definitely depends on the products and when it is on/off special. The poll results are also interesting.
There are times when you cannot get away from a shop at coles and woolworths, due to the sheer convenience of them. However, where I can, I get my stuff from the local farmers markets and the local butcher. Cleaning, laundry, sanitary products, cooking oils, glad etc - I'm still mostly beholden to colesworths.
I got my fresh food from independent stores but there are lots of stable that I can’t stay away from C&W. Meat is more expensive at independent butcher but veggie and fruits are cheaper but they don’t look as nice if you know what I mean. The price increase are just ridiculous.
If you're NSW based, I strongly recommend you check out box divvy. My local fruit barn options suck, heard about box divvy, no need to ever go to colesworth again for fresh produce.
Essentially it works the same way as a click and collect for fruit and veg (I get other stuff through them too, nuts, flour etc). It gets shipped to your selected 'hub', which in my area there are heaps, 2 minute drive. Such a cool community feel, we get lots of freebies, the hubster lady makes all these fresh homemade juices and puts them in for us. Such good community vibes.
Slightly cheaper than colesworth, except the money goes to the farmers and the person packing your bag, not corporate shareholders. win win win.
Good to be reminded about this - ive just had a family member be involved, forgot to check it out earlier.
Where I live (Bargara, QLD) I have easy access to a Woolworths and an Aldi. Over the last 18 months to 2 years I've gradually morphed from a 100% Woolies shopper, to a 80+% Aldi shopper where I buy most of the basics and then some at Aldi as a matter of course, then buy the items not stocked by Aldi or on special or whatever at Woolies.
Aldi are usually on top of keeping the right number of registers open for the number of people wanting to check out, and waits are usually tolerable. Conversely self checkout is usually the only reasonable option at Woolies, and particularly in the last 6 months I've had no end of issue with their scanning machines and payment app, and I rarely get through even a small shop w/o having to call over a staff member, who are usually run off their feet.
The delays at Woolies self checkouts are legendary in our household as I rant about them often, including being delayed a long time recently because the machine decided to throw up an error for no obvious reason that the staff member could eventually tell, and my ice creams were melting fast while the poor single staff member was locked in a session showing an elderly fellow the whole mega-lesson on using self checks outs for beginners! Then get me started about the constant changes of layout/product locations in store, closure of an popular entrance to the store and regular price discrepancies and it is obvious why I'm drifting further to Aldi.
My partner subscribed to woolies "devliery unlimited" for 1 year. When that lapses (i think in Q1 next year), we will start actively going to aldi.
Already heavily refuse to shop at Woolworths. Will only purchase from there in an emergency. Their price gouging is insane, even if compared to Coles a lot of regular supermarket items are 10-30% more.
I go to a bunch of different shops but it's worth it in the end in terms of better quality for a lower price.
Fruit/Veg/Deli = independent
General groceries = Coles
Meat = 75% Aldi, 25% Coles
Bread = Baker's Delight
Yes they are price gouging but exactly where are you going to do a full shop cheaper?
Im in a small town an the only supermarket is a iga considerably dearer on 95% of items, local roadside farm gate may be fresher but are never cheaper even though they have cut out some of the supply chain.
Butchers and the green grocers are always dearer unless you buy a bulk lot such as a side of lamb etc (some different choices though).
Best we can do is shop around keep an eye out for specials and stock up then. I do shop at Woolworths mostly as its in nearby small town i work in Aldi, Coles, Foodworks in another town further away.
In regional Victoria we do have access to some fresher produce but have less access to other specialty food stores.
As to record profits, ive seen decades ago the pressure companies like Woolworths put on wholesalers, farmers etc. Not nice but thats business best we can do is shop around.
where are you going to do a full shop cheaper?
Problems of being in a small town I guess?
Where I am there is a major shopping centre with a Coles, ALDI, butcher and fruit shop all at the same end; so I just walk to each one and get the best price for the things I want.
In fact I only usually ever buy anything from Colesworths that is on a 1/2 price special; it's very rare I pay full price for things.
For produce I usually go to my local IGA that is actually cheaper than Coles/Woolworths.
Pantry foods pretty much no alternative to Coles/Woolworths, sometimes I do go to Aldi.
Inflation is driven by high corporate profits and not by people spending a lot of money.
The other week, a $16 - 17 pack of chicken fillets were $24.
Colesworth are half the reason why your mortgage repayments are so high now.
Does anyone else get a lot of rewards from coles? I seem to regularly get those "spend at least $X over 4 weeks" for $50 and other rewards from coles. Over the last year or so I've at least got $200 back. Just makes me question where this money is coming from.
Majority of my shopping is done outside Colesworths. They are a last option when the items I require are not available or cheaper elsewhere.
This also goes the same for my family and extended family as well.
I do all my grocery shopping at the local grocer for the last 4 years. Their vegetables do seem to go bad/soft quicker than supermarket stock, but I've learned how to process bulk veg for freezing and mealprep so I often capitalize on their frequent specials.
$7.99kg for clean chicken breast some weeks, and I imagine it's processed about 20 meters away at the B&E Foods next door (Supplies Steggles, Ingham, Don, Primo, etc)
if only there were more Asian grocers in an area everything would be more competitive and cheaper….. heck even the international aisle at Colesworth near Asian grocers have a lot more stuff to choose from
Boycotting is silly and pointless but ETTO.
We mainly shop at Aldi and markets but often Colesworth are the only choice for certain stuff so still use them at times.
You shop where it's cheapest. Simple as that. This is Ozbargain. If you need something and there is no other option and Coles/Woollies are the cheapest, then, despite what you may think of them and their gates etc, that's where you have to go. And there's no point abusing a grumpy teenager manning a gate, they certainly didn't decide to put it there.
I'm glad I have a Supabarn nearest me. Although a few years ago we would consistently get really nice well dried and marbled steaks from our Supabarn, now the meat looks like coles and woolies, blood/water soaked minimal marbling, the farmer probably started exporting the good stuff, more money, don't blame them I guess :(
Wasn't Supabarn bought by Coles? I miss the quality in the bakery, fruit/veg and meat sections that is now lacking since the takeover in our local.
Well that explains it, no wonder the quality dropped to Coles level. That really puts a sour taste in my mouth, Coles not only putting small grocers out of business but buying out the actual competitive ones and ruining them from the inside…
@superflute Supabarn wasn't directly purchased by Coles, they still operate independently. They did, however, agree to sell 5 store locations to Coles back in 2016, most notably Canberra Centre. https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/accc-approves-cole…
IGA and Aldi ftw.
You have to be privileged to afford to boycott.
You'll save money going to Aldi.
With how big the duopoly is, you really cannot afford not to boycott. It will get worse while it is still legal for the duopoly to lock out competition through exclusive supplier contracts.
@ajr5k
How much for a 3kg sugar?
.
90% shopping at ALDI. I sometimes duck into WW for specific things that aren't sold in ALDI. Coles can kick rocks. We don't have a local fruit/veg place, I'll have to look around for local farmers markets. Meats I get from aldi which is usually chicken breast or mince beef. Surprised most pork is non-Australian, but I usually get the Australian ham slices or Australian bacon, which is something like twice the price per kilo compared to non-australian hams.
Use to get 'Soothers' for mum from WW, they use to be $4 per 3-pack, then they jumped to $5 per pack and not long ago went in to get some, now they're $6.50 per pack!!
One thing I've noticed is when I go to woolies in my area, my phone reception/5g no longer works in there, and if i want to access something like comparing prices, sending a message to my partner about what we might need, or my shopping list on google keep, i have to join their wifi. Does this happen to anyone else? Or am I just being paranoid? Maybe its the material the building is made from, but as soon as i step out of woolies and into the shopping centre, my reception comes back.
Had that same experience in the newer Woolworths. Also the hundreds of cameras hanging from the ceiling are utterly creepy, and I read online that Woolworths are using AI technology to track shoppers in store. It's not pleasant shopping in their new stores at all.
i will go to the cheapest store possible, whatever that is
https://edition.cnn.com/2023/11/13/business/self-checkout-st…
US and UK its happening. Maybe here they're more heavily invested in AI, surveillance and cutting hours so will be dragged kicking and screaming to return to some point of normalcy.
but mah 'convenience' and anti-social personality disorder!!??
maybe they can have a few stores that remain with self serve
Why boycott when you just take from them?
Thieves will always try to justify their actions.
No need to boycott them completely in my opinion - just not shop from them exclusively.
Wait till you see 15% discount TCN or Apple Gift Cards, your tone will change.
Where are all these high security measures? I live in Tasmania and have been on the mainland for holidays recently and have not seen none of it. Other than the Kmart receipt check which you can just walk straight past if there is a long line which I do , it's enough to have to wait to pay we should not have to wait to exit.
I live my day Qantas point to point. Woolworths for life!
Woolworths is cheap and convenient. I won't be joining your boycott. Good day sir.
Just whichever is most convenient for me.
We have two lists, one for Aldi and one for Woolies.
Seriously, screw Coles and Woolies. They have been taking us for a ride and have taken advantage of the cost of living crisis we are going through. I will support an honest German over a crook Aussie any day, sorry if that's unpopular.
And if you really think their profit margin is 3-5%, I have a bridge in Sydney I can sell you. You do realise that those 'margins' are the ones they nominate, right? If they invest in another company, or in a procedure or R&D….. that comes off the margin. There are many, many very creative and legitimate ways to move money around from one pile to another. Yes, they're regulated and a public company… but they're not blockchain.
Honest German common they bleeding gullible Aussies like every other retailer. Employ minimum staff, stock only high throughout items stay slightly cheaper than the competition on no name brand items but when you factor in the credit card surcharge, no rewards program etc they likley come very close to the same price.
Everyone expects the other 2 to stock everything, even Aldi in their stupid ad, but stocking everything comes at a cost.
Aldi brought in $10.7 billion in revenue and declared $900 million in taxable income. That's a margin of over 8 per cent. (https://www.news.com.au/finance/business/retail/aldi-paid-mo….)
And according to (https://www.afr.com/companies/retail/why-aldi-hopes-to-see-y…
Aldi’s retail prices rose by about 7.8 per cent on average last year, with its cost inflation sitting at about 9.2 per cent. Mr Lack said this showed Aldi was absorbing some of those prices hikes.
That is in line with 7.7 per cent food inflation at Woolworths, and 7.4 per cent at Coles in the December half.
But hey their profit is under 1 billion and they are honest Germans so its all good, nothing to see here.
Lol honest German? Aldi are just as much a disgrace!! Their prices should be a LOT cheaper given the way the operate. I don’t find them cheaper at all! And you should take a look at what they throw out in their dumpsters, absolutely disgraceful.
Yes, but Woolies sell most of the same generic product at the same prices as Aldi, and as a bonus, you can get your entire shop delivered or ready for pick up, saving you time. Compare pricing of course as YMMV, but that has been my experience.
HEIL ALDI!!!
The honest German quietly takes away their $billions profit from you back to Germany, laughing their heads off, while you complain about your Aussie companies. Colesworth at least are own by a lot of Aussies so I don’t mind buying something that will be reinvested back into our economy.
lol.
the ceo of woolies is on a $20K per day salary….get (profanity)
It would be great to have a consumer union. If everyone did things like refuse to purchase anything advertised in their catalog or buy home brands it would send a message.
Along those lines, I believe the inevitable, logical response is grocery co-operatives. They remain a retail source, so not quite a food bank.
I feel like they are collecting our facial biometrics for a future social credit system, at the same time the federal government wants to introduce a propaganda…anti-misinformation bill to make Australia more dictatorship-like.
https://humanrights.gov.au/about/news/opinions/why-misinform…
I feel like they are collecting our facial biometrics for a future social credit system…
coupled with:
digital ID, digital currency & a cashless society & smart cities / 15 min cities
….welcome to digital enprisonment!
….when did we vote for this, exactly??
In an illusory democracy like Australia run by elite corporate interests such as billionaires miners lobbying the two main political parties, voting for issues that actually matters to everyday Aussies like digital ID, misinformation/propapaganda bill, Middle east issues, $400 Billions spending on aggressive Aukus nuke subs, are not required.
Instead the (arguably) less important Voice referendum requires our mandatory votes.
Coles and Woolworths claim they don't use facial recognition or other bio-metrics on their shoppers but I have my doubts.
With all of those sweet hd cameras blanketing the store, it would be the most obvious solution to their loss problems.
says they do and woolies are in this article
https://www.news.com.au/finance/business/retail/imprisoned-a…
You are right - it seems they are uploading any footage to a new central 'crime reporting' company who definitely do use it and also number plate recognition. Getting more like 1984 by the day
Woolworths had a notice in store today saying due to the increasing use of card transactions, they are reducing the amount of cash out that customers can ask for. It is now $200 per transaction. A couple of years ago it was $400, then it reduced to $300, & now $200. Don't know if it's the same at Coles or Aldi yet, but due to the slow removal of cash from circulation by "our" corporations posing as governments, it seems to be just a matter of time.
The main problem that puts me off about “independent” grocers is that they’re not cheap. It saves me a lot of money from going to Coles and Safeway. Even Bunnings too where I only need a cheap $5 tool for a quickie.
Australian company, Australian stores with Australian employees. Fresh fruit, vegetables, dairy products etc are majority Australian provided. The majority of shareholders are likely to be Australian, particularly with the Superannuation investments.
Now if you have proof this is otherwise please provide it.