If there was any doubt Australia was in a cost of living crisis, an uncovered Woolworths receipt from three years ago has laid bare the extent of the problem, with some grocery items more than doubling in price.
The receipt from 2021 was posted on X by a Melbourne resident who was shocked when she compared how much she used to pay for items.
“Found an old Woolworths receipt circa 2021. We all knew we (are) being ripped off,” she said.
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“No wonder Australia is having a cost of living crisis.”
According to the receipt, Bega Strong & Bitey Cheese 250g was once $4.50 at Woolworths. However it is now sold for $7.50, a 67 per cent increase.
The price of a packet of Allens Jelly Beans has more than doubled from $2 in 2021 to $5 while a 1.25L bottle of Coca-Cola has jumped from $1.80 to $3.85.
Chicco D’Oro Delta Ground Coffee 200g was sold at Woolies for $2.50 three years ago however it has now increased to $4.
But the biggest jump of all was for Hong Kong Pork and Chive Dumplings, the price of which is now 240 per cent more expensive than it was in 2021.
The dumplings were once sold for $2.50 however the price has now increased to a staggering $8.50.
It’s unclear if any of the items purchased on the receipt were on special at the time, as the edge of the receipt is crumpled and it doesn’t bear a date.
Earlier this year World Bank data revealed Australians are paying significantly more for groceries than the rest of the world.
This includes up to 41 per cent more for meat, up to 45 per cent more for dairy and as much as 46 per cent more for fruit.
Bread costs Australians as much as 73 per cent more and seafood 63 per cent more.
Woolworths, Coles face scrutiny over grocery prices
Woolworths and Coles have both been embroiled in controversy over the past year, with accusations of price gouging leading to the creation of a supermarket inquiry by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).
Higher grocery bills coupled with other rising living expenses is also impacting Australian’s level of food security, with another inquiry looking into consumer’s ability to access nutritionally adequate and safe foods.
Almost 180 submissions were made to Victoria’s inquiry into food security.
About a third of the submissions came from struggling families, Sustain: The Australian Food Network executive director Doctor Nick Rose said.
“The overwhelming message from those individuals is they’re struggling, cutting back on food, cutting back on the quality of food, having to choose between buying medication and feeding themselves,” Rose said.
“Also a lot of anger at the supermarkets – that was another really clear theme that came through.”
According to Foodbank, about one in three Australians faces moderate to severe food insecurity and tough choices at daily meals.
The organisation’s Victorian hub had to launch an emergency food drive earlier in August to restock its shelves amid unprecedented demand and spiralling donations.
Sustain has made some 30 recommendations to the inquiry, including to launch a statewide food systems and security strategy and to appoint a minister to oversee it.
Victoria’s Legal and Social Issues Committee will report on the inquiry in November.
A Woolworths spokesperson pinned the price increases on the manufacturer of the products saying: “Ongoing economy-wide inflation means it costs more for many supermarket suppliers to manufacture their products than it did a few years ago”.
“We remain focussed on delivering lower prices where we can, with our average prices coming down in the last six months, and thousands of specials every week,” they said.
A spokesperson from Nestlé Oceania, who owns Allens, said the $2 price tag for its Jelly Beans in 2021 could have been a promotional price as the product was on sale “from time to time”.
They said the decision to increase prices was not taken lightly.
“The cost of the raw materials and transport of many ingredients in our products have increased significantly,” the spokesperson said.
“So too has the cost of some of the packaging materials that we use. We have increased some prices to ensure we can continue to deliver the same quality products that Aussies know and love.”
7NEWS.com.au has contacted Bega, Coca-Cola, Chicco D’Oro and Hong Kong Dim Sim Kitchen for comment.
