Woolworths increased the prices of at least four popular grocery products during its three-month “Price Freeze” promotion, according to pricing data compiled by comparison website CW Scanner and provided to Guardian Australia.
The supermarket began the promotion on 1 May, promising to freeze the shelf prices of 300 household staples for three months. The analysis found price increases on products including chicken breast fillets, washed potatoes, fresh cinnamon donuts and Woolworths Mexican Style 3 Bean Mix.
The 420g can of Mexican Style 3 Bean Mix rose from 60 cents to $1 on 17 June, the data shows, before returning to 60 cents on 17 August.
The price of a 350g portion of RSPCA-approved chicken breast fillets from the deli increased from $9 a kilogram on 29 April to $12 a kilogram on 5 May. The price then alternated between $9 and $12 a kilogram twice more during the Price Freeze period.
Woolworths also increased the price of its 2kg bags of washed potatoes from $6 to $8 on 6 May, while the price of a 12-pack of its own-brand fresh cinnamon donuts rose from $3 to $3.50 on the same day. The donuts returned to $3 on 18 August.
Woolworths has said the Price Freeze applied to standard shelf prices and that the earlier lower prices for the products were temporary promotional prices. A Woolworths spokesperson said the end of a temporary promotion did not represent a shelf price increase.
When the promotion was announced, Woolworths Group chief executive Amanda Bardwell said the company was freezing the shelf price of 300 staples for three months and would absorb additional costs agreed with suppliers on those products.
Marketing expert Prof Jana Bowden said the price changes were difficult for consumers to reconcile with the everyday meaning of a price freeze, while Choice senior campaigns and policy adviser Bea Sherwood said shoppers could not reasonably be expected to track changing supermarket prices to understand what constituted a standard shelf price.
The findings come as Woolworths faces continued scrutiny over its pricing practices. The supermarket is awaiting a Federal Court decision in proceedings brought by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission over its “Prices Dropped” promotion.
Source: The Guardian
