Detail in Aldi store reveals sad start to Aussie snow season
At a time when keen skiers are usually running around for last minute essentials in anticipation of the snow season, shops have instead been spotted full of unpurchased ski gear as the slopes struggle to fill with natural snow thanks to unseasonably warm temperatures.
This is the second consecutive year there has been little snow in NSW's Snowy Mountains region at the start of the season, with Victorian ski resorts not faring any better. And the flow-on effect was seemingly apparent at an Aldi store full to the brim with affordable ski gear which would usually be "sold out by now", one shopper claimed.
"The ALDI ski sale is a good indicator of who is going to the snow this year and who isn’t - this would all be sold out by now … cost of living anyone?" they wrote while sharing a photo of the seemingly untouched ski gear.
The June long weekend usually marks the start of the snow season but only one single ski lift out of 75 scattered across the NSW snowfields is expected to be operating due to the lack of snow, with popular ski resort Thredbo admitting yesterday that conditions will mean "not a lot of skiing or snowboarding" will be taking place.
The mild temperatures are predicted to continue due to climate change and experts expect the Aussie snow season will be slashed by an average of 55 days by 2050. And on a short term basis, the rising cost of living is also sparking fear for the future of the $3.3 billion industry.
Aussie ski fields 'on thin ice' as region experiences major climate change
Weather trend sparks worrying disease and insect warning for Australians
High cost of living forcing Aussies to pause their holiday
It's suspected the rising cost of living is another factor being considered by Aussies when deciding whether to go on a skiing holiday, with research carried out by Finder revealing 53 per cent of Aussies have paused their various holiday plans due to rising costs.
With the duration of the season slowly diminishing, the cost of accomodation and related costs are expected to keep rising due to high demand, pushing a ski holiday further out of the average Aussies' budget.
Reacting to the Aldi photo online, local author who writes for the Canberra Times, and goes by the moniker Tim the Yowie Man, lamented that "the snow has become too expensive for the average punter".
"High demand from those cashed up means prices go up. There are of course exceptions but those who can afford go to the snow these days probs don’t shop at ALDI.
"The lack of snow probably doesn’t help," he added.
Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.
You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
