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Woolworths shopper rages at eye-watering cost of kitchen staple: 'Highway robbery'

The price of dishwashing tablets at Woolies sums up Australia's cost of living crisis.

A Woolworths shopper's complaint about the steep price of a kitchen staple has struck a chord with Aussies who have been struggling to make ends meet as cost of living pressures surge.

Brisbane TikToker Tanya Roberts showed viewers the eye-watering prices of dishwashing tablets on shelves at Woolies, with some retailing for over $70 a pack.

"$72 for 45 dishwashing tabs — you are kidding me," Ms Roberts says of Fairy brand tablets in the clip. "It's highway robbery," she adds as she pans the camera to reveal other packs priced from $48.

Dishwashing tablets at Woolworths
The exorbitant cost of dishwashing tablets at Woolworths has summed up Australia's cost of living crisis. Source: TikTok/@princesspepper76

'Ridiculous'

The video has racked up over 926,000 views in a span of four days and has attracted over 3,800 comments from viewers who were either shocked or simply frustrated over the cost of grocery items.

"I'd rather just spend $72 on take out," one shopper commented, while another added: "It's ridiculous. I said to my husband we need to go back to hand-washing dishes."

Many TikTokers, however, shared that they go to other shops to get a better deal for dishwashing tablets. "Less than $10 at Aldi," one suggested, while others added that they get them at Bunnings or Big W.

Ms Roberts, who in the comments and a follow-up video admitted to being an Aldi shopper, explained that she just happened to be at Woolies when she saw the startling prices of dishwashing tablets. "Clarification: Yes, I do shop at Aldi. Yes, I do know about the Reject Shop," she said and admitted: "Did not know about Bunnings, so thank you for that. We're actually heading up there now, so I'm gonna check it out."

A Woolworths spokesperson recently told Yahoo News Australia that the supermarket does stock more affordable alternatives to well-known brands. "Our 100-tablet box of Shine dishwashing tablets at $12.80 is excellent value, working out to be less than 13 cents a tablet," the spokesperson said.

Woolworths, Coles offer Easter savings

Both Woolworths and Coles have dropped prices of seafood and other popular Easter buys as Aussies prepare budget-friendly celebrations at home over the long weekend.

Both retailers have announced the return of their $22 rock lobsters and discounted prawns in anticipation of increased demand, with Woolies alone expecting to sell 200 tonnes of prawns over the holidays.

"Value has never been more important at Woolworths, and we want to ensure our customers can enjoy fresh seafood at a competitive price this long weekend," Woolworths Commercial director for seafood Tim Dudding said in a statement.

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