Awkward detail on Coles' Australia Day merchandise
Peter Dutton called for a boycott of Woolworths over its decision not to sell Australia Day items, but items sold by its rival Coles aren't actually Australian made.
As supermarkets face scrutiny over their decision to sell Australia Day merchandise, Coles has remained steadfast in their mission to facilitate celebrations next week. But an awkward detail has emerged — the supermarket has admitted their Australian-themed products are foreign-made.
Some items are manufactured in Bangladesh and the rest are made in China. The revelation comes as Woolworths sparked uproar this month by announcing it would no longer stock Australia Day items.
Coles told Yahoo News Australia that while it tries to support Australian made “as much as possible” but conceded “many of these products are manufactured overseas”.
The issue of whether Australia Day products should be made overseas has made ripples online, with one shopper posting a video to TikTok lambasting the supermarket for stocking Chinese made items.
While some respondents agreed with his criticisms, others suggested Australian made products are simply too expensive. "Our wages are way higher than Asia and we're over regulated," one person snapped back.
Research by pollsters Roy Morgan in 2023 found four in five shoppers think buying Australian made is important. Over 65 per cent said they "often" or "always" buy Australian-made products, with many saying supporting local jobs and the economy was why.
How the Australia Day merchandise saga began
The decision by Woolworths to pull Australia Day merchandise prompted Opposition Leader Peter Dutton to call for a boycott of the supermarket, telling 2GB its position went against the “national spirit”. A store was later vandalised by a furious shopper who sprayed “boycott Woolies” across its doors.
While some Australians insisted on their rights to buy $3 flags and $4 novelty glasses, few were initially discussing whether retailers who choose to support Australia Day should be stocking locally made merchandise.
Albanese accuses Dutton of being 'obsessed' with Woolies boycott
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told Yahoo the opposition appeared “obsessed with calling for boycotts of Woolworths” and questioned what would happen to the jobs of the 20,000 Aussies the supermarket employs if shoppers snubbed the retailer.
“The Opposition is all about saying no - they have nothing positive to offer Australians. No ideas on jobs or manufacturing or how to build a stronger economy that works for Australians,” he added.
Albanese added that the Liberal Party was more interested in a different type of manufacturing.
“The only thing that the Liberal Party has manufactured over the last decade is outrage. Outrage about a whole range of cultural war issues,” he said.
Dutton accused of flaming Australia Day culture wars
Assistant Minister for Trade Tim Ayers told Yahoo the Albanese Government has the “biggest policy in Australia peacetime history” and this would result in more Australian made goods being produced in the regions and outer suburbs.
“Peter Dutton is big on culture wars with supermarkets, but he has been invisible when it comes to stocking Australian made products on our supermarket shelves,” he said.
Peter Dutton’s office has been contacted for comment. Woolworths indicated it didn’t wish to comment further on the Australia Day issues raised in this article.
Where can I buy Australian made products?
Asked where it's possible to buy locally made products for Australia Day, the gatekeepers of the Australian Made Australian Grown kangaroo logo had a number of suggestions. They include:
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