Woolworths hikes price of hot roast chicken as cost of living bites
The supermarket giant's most popular food item after fresh produce has again risen in price.
In a blow for last-minute dinner lovers everywhere, Woolworths has confirmed a price hike on their wildly popular hot roast chickens. That's right, the fuss-free dinner-in-a-bag from your local Woolies will now set you back an extra buck, or a cool $12.
The cult dinner buy previously rose from $10 to $11 back in February 2022, but in a statement to Yahoo News Australia, a Woolworths spokesperson said their roast chickens are still a great value dinner option, blaming the price increase on rising production costs.
"At Woolworths, we understand that every dollar counts and work hard to provide value for customers every time they shop with us while balancing the needs of our suppliers," the spokesperson said. "For the first time since February 2022, we reluctantly increased the price of our roast chickens by $1 due to an increase in input costs.
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"We still believe our delicious hot roast chooks provide excellent value, whether it's for a dinner for the family or to share at a picnic with friends," the spokesperson added.
Due to a price war with Coles back back in 2016, both supermarkets slashed prices on their roast chickens from around $11 to around $8. That means the popular Woolies item costs only $1 more today than it did in 2015. At the time of publication, regular hot roast chooks are still available at Coles for $11.
Struggling Aussies take another hit
The Woolies price increase comes as tens of thousands of Aussies are plunged into extreme poverty by the rising cost of living. According to a new survey by The Salvation Army, 93 per cent of people who required their services over the past 12 months were struggling to afford basic living necessities.
After paying for essential living costs, such as housing, food, utilities, health and fuel, typical respondents said they're left with less than $6 a day to spend or save for other expenses.
"Everyone is doing it tough at the moment but for those who are already struggling, the cost-of-living crisis is making it almost impossible for them to survive without help," Salvation Army secretary for mission Captain Stuart Glover said in a statement.
The report also found that three quarters of families surveyed were living below the poverty line, a quarter were unable to afford to take their children to the doctor or a dentist, and one in five were unable to provide their children with three meals a day.
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