Woolworths shoppers upset over 'disappointing' choice to stop selling Aussie item
Shoppers are upset an Australian-made peanut butter is being pulled from Woolworths shelves.
A woman said on May 28 she noticed Farmers Co. peanut butter was on clearance at the supermarket, so she decided to call up the supplier and find out why.
“I discovered Woolworths will no longer be stocking this brand as the sales volume is less than other brands,” she said, adding she then messaged Woolworths on their Facebook page to raise her concerns.
“I believe the majority of Australians will become more conscious shoppers. Unlike some other brands this peanut butter has a higher volume of Australian sourced nuts.
“#Save Aussie products #Help Australian Farmers #Help Aussie economy #Create Aussie jobs.”
The Farmer Co. peanut butter is made in the country from at least 98 per cent Australian ingredients, according to its the label.
At the time of publication, the post had amassed almost 3000 shares.
One shopper described the decision to stop selling the peanut butter as “disappointing”.
“Since Dick Smith stopped, it’s my fave brand,” she said.
Another woman wrote: “I was wondering why I couldn't buy this any more. We were going through a jar a week in my house and now the kids won't touch what we have.
“Big supermarkets always gotta ruin a good thing.”
“I am devo (devastated) because my Woolworths no longer stocks it. My husband and I reckon it’s the best peanut paste we’ve ever eaten. I have contacted Woolworths via fb message,” a third woman said.
“That was my favourite peanut butter. Haven’t been able to find it anywhere. Tried other brands but none of them compare to Farmer Co which used to be Dick Smith’s. So have now gone off peanut butter and not happy,” a man said.
‘Unfortunately not resonating’ with enough shoppers
A Woolworths spokesperson confirmed poor sales had lead to the brand being pulled from shelves.
“We made the difficult decision to remove Farmers Co. peanut butter from our stores in our most recent range review process after a sustained period of underperforming sales,” the spokesperson said in a statement to Yahoo News Australia.
“While we have supported Farmers Co. over the last 18 months, it’s unfortunately not resonating with enough customers to continue stocking it.
“As an alternative, we continue to stock Bega’s Simply Nuts, which is made using 100% Australian grown peanuts – in the majority of our stores.”
One person, who said they saw a post on Facebook about the peanut butter, decided to share their feelings on the Woolworths Facebook page.
“I was upset to hear that Woolworths will no longer be stocking this brand as the sales volume is less than other brands. I hope you continue to keep stocking this brand,” they wrote.
“I like many Australians are keen to purchase Australian-made products, now more than ever as more and more Australian-made companies disappear.
“I realise profits form an important part of all commercial businesses but shouldn’t it be [weighed] up against supporting Australian businesses and our embattled Aussie farmers as much as we can.”
A Woolworths representative did respond to the woman’s post on their Facebook wall, saying the supermarket was “big” supporters of Australian peanut producers.
“The local industry has been severely affected by the ongoing drought, which has reduced local production and impacted availability,” the representative said on Facebook.
“As a result, you may see other varieties of peanut butter made with a mix of both Australian and imported peanuts.”
Between the drought, bushfires and the coronavirus pandemic resulting in people losing their jobs, there seems to be more people wanting to buy Australian-made products with Australian-man ingredients.
In April, shoppers were pleading with supermarkets for an easy way to identify Australian products and just last month a woman was praised for compiling a comprehensive visual list of Australian-made products.
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