A mischief-maker has been altering promotional labels in two leading supermarkets to express discontent over the rising living costs.
This action follows the announcement of Coles and Woolworths generating a staggering $1.1bn and $1.6bn in profits, respectively last financial year.
These altered tags, which look like discount price labels, have been appearing in both supermarket chains throughout Tasmania.
These tags contain messages that challenge the supermarkets on their significant profits when customers are grappling with grocery bills. Some of these messages include, “Our profit matters more than your food access. Welcome to capitalism!”, “We’ve earned over $1 billion while you struggle for bread,” and “$10 dinners by Curtis Stone? Not with this economy.”
Last week, Coles’ COO, Matt Swindells, recognized the living cost crisis as a factor in the growing number of shoplifting incidents, saying on 3AW radio, “We witness it across all stores and product categories; it’s an evident concern.”
A mock label references this, stating, “If you spot shoplifting, pretend you didn’t.”
Another sarcastic tag reads, “We know times are hard, which is why our CEO earns over $20,000 daily.”
The Grassroots Action Network Tasmania accepted responsibility for these mock discount tags in an Instagram post, stating that Coles and Woolworths are profiting immensely while many face financial hardship.
Reactions to the tags poured into the comment section, with many supporting the activists’ sentiments. Some comments were along the lines of, “This is brilliant,” and “Where can I find these?”
One individual mentioned they have shifted to shopping elsewhere to save on groceries, suggesting Aldi as a more economical alternative.
In response, a representative from Coles urged customers to share feedback through their official channels. Similarly, a Woolworth spokesperson acknowledged the strains of the living cost crisis on Australians, emphasising their commitment to helping customers save.
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