Tiny detail in Woolworths charity promotion ridiculed: 'Feels like a joke'
Woolworths has donated over $1.5 million to WIRES, but a new promotion has shoppers urging the supermarket giant to do more.
Woolworths donates more to animal rescue group WIRES than any other corporation, but a new promotion by the supermarket has some shoppers raising their eyebrows. They’ve ridiculed a new plush toy line where a tiny portion of the sale price is prominently advertised as being donated to the charity.
The range features four of Australia’s most iconic species — a crocodile, cockatoo, emu and wombat. Each “jumbo” toy retails for $18, and for every one sold Woolworths will donate 50 cents to the wildlife charity. However, the donation amount is less than some shoppers believe is reasonable.
“Correct me if I’m wrong, but this feels like [a] joke, 50 [cents] donated when I spend $18 on a toy. I appreciate the effort, but we can’t even make it to $1?,” is how a popular Reddit thread begins.
The new toys were launched last Wednesday, and are available while stocks last. Many respondents argued Woolworths could afford to give WIRES a bigger cut of the sale price, noting the retailer made hundreds of millions in profit last financial year.
Others suggested, the retailer could simply increase the price of the toys and then offer a bigger donation. “No reason for these not to be $20 and donate $2.50. No one needs to buy these, so might as well go up a bit,” they suggested.
"Woolworths in a nutshell eh? Wires seems like a good cause though, if they pumped the donation rate to like $5 minimum I'd probably pick up the plush crocodile," another quipped.
Woolworths donates $1.5 million to wildlife charity WIRES
The uproar over the toys illustrates how the major supermarkets have become a major part of the lives for most Australians. Every announcement, every detail of their practice is routinely analysed by the public as if they were a reality television show, or a political party.
The near complete supermarket duopoly that Coles and Woolworths has successfully created, means most Australians do business with at least one of them on a weekly or even daily basis, and feel the need to regularly weigh in on their decisions.
Responding to the debate, Woolworths highlighted its ongoing relationship with WIRES saying, “We’re proud to have partnered with WIRES since 2020, and have donated more than $1.5 million since our partnership began.”
Woolworths’ sponsorship of WIRES goes beyond the simple selling of plush toys. The supermarket giant also routinely hands out fresh food to registered wildlife carers, and provides grants for the purchase of specific dietary items wildlife needs. Since 2022, it’s donated over 700 tonnes of food across the country to help Australia’s native animals.
More exciting wildlife stories
Residents stunned after wild weather creates 'insane' sight in Aussie suburbs
Australia's $60 million plan to go to 'war' with invasive predator
Popular breakfast food options set to change as farmers 'struggle'
Wildlife advocates urge Woolworths to make small change
While Woolworths has done a lot to help wildlife, there are a number of key areas animal advocates want to see reform.
It is facing increasing pressure to drop certain rat poisons from its range because they are known to frequently kill predatory birds including owls, raptors and tawny frogmouths.
Second generation anticoagulants are sold by Woolworths, as well as Coles and Bunnings, alongside less harmful products that have near-identical packaging. And most consumers are simply unaware of the harm they do.
The supermarket, along with rival Coles, have also been urged to stop selling salmon farmed in Tasmania's Macquarie Harbour as "sustainable", because aquaculture in this region is forcing a native species towards extinction. There are fewer than 1,000 maugean skate left in the wild, and researchers are working to breed them in captivity due to their rapid decline.
A separate area where the supermarket has been widely praised is it's new beef sourcing policy. A week ago, the retailer announced a target to go completely deforestation-free by 2025, a decision Greenpeace called a "big and significant step".
Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? Get our new newsletter showcasing the week’s best stories.
