Woolworths shopper fumes over 'outrageous' cost of sandwich
Shoppers are being forced to find alternatives or go without as the price of groceries continues to hit hard.
Pre-made sandwiches from Woolworths are now setting customers back as much as $9, which some have slammed as "outrageous" as the rising cost of living continues to bite.
The supermarket was urged to "do better" by a Sydney woman after claiming the chicken, lettuce and mayo sandwich on the refrigerated shelf at the supermarket had a "wild" price tag in her TikTok video.
"I understand there's a financial crisis, and we have inflation, but Woolworths are literally charging $9 for a chicken, mayo and lettuce sandwich," she said. "[It's] highway robbery."
While some sandwiches such as chicken and avocado, and chicken, ham and cheese do have a $9 price tag, it appears the sandwich in question had been incorrectly placed. The chicken, mayo and lettuce actually costs $7, a Woolworths spokesperson confirmed to Yahoo News Australia.
The rising cost of food is among the biggest money worries for Australians as inflation over the last year and a half has been the worst experienced within the last three decades. Yet, supermarket customers continued to be shocked by price increases for items on the shelves.
From cereals and chips, to the wildly popular roast chicken, it appears no items are immune to price hikes.
Shoppers search for cheaper food options
Aussies are being forced to change their approach to grocery shopping in a bid to find cheaper prices, with many sharing which items they now choose to leave on the shelf while others attempt to avoid the supermarket all together.
"[I've] been boycotting Woolies for a while now," one replied on TikTok, while another shared his surprise that shoppers still choose to buy from the supermarket given the recent price hikes. "It's standard everywhere to be honest".
Woman calls for Woolworths boycott over price of basic bathroom item
$31 Woolworths receipt exposes grim dilemma for Aussies: 'A joke'
Shoppers are also choosing more extreme approaches in an attempt to save money on food, with Coles telling Yahoo News Australia last month they are catching "hundreds of thieves" every week as many supermarkets experience a rise in theft in their stores around the country.
Dumpster diving has also become an option for desperate Aussies struggling to feed themselves.
"You can save hundreds of dollars from one dumpster dive," a NSW community volunteer who has rummaged through bins for over a decade told Yahoo in May.
Woolworths score $1.62 billion profit
Last week Woolworths, the country's largest supermarket, shared they achieved a $1.62 billion after-tax profit for the last financial year ending in June.
Woolworths' overall profits dropped by 79.6 per cent after Endeavour Group — the company’s drinks and hospitality arm —was sold, with the cost of living crisis being acknowledged as another factor impacting the supermarket's sales.
“Looking ahead to F24, we expect food inflation in Australia and New Zealand to continue to moderate but will likely remain elevated in some packaged categories," Woolworths Chief Executive Brad Banducci said. “We also expect the consumer environment to remain challenging with customers continuing to cut back on non-essential items.”
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