Woolies photo exposes food crisis

He shared a photo of a small grocery store in Woolworths, his selection of largely pantry and household essentials costing him nearly $85.

“This was $84.90 without the milk (which wouldn’t scan),” the Reddit user wrote, sharing a photo of his skinny grocery store.

His shop contained items most households are familiar with. His receipt was also mailed, the other items being Listerine ($11 for 1 liter), two packs of Barilla Spaghettini ($5.40 or $2.70 each) and Lurpak Spread Butter ($6.50).

Surprisingly, one of the most expensive items from his store was the 1.2 kg of tomatoes he bought, which cost $9.90 per kg and totaled $12.20. He also bought a dozen 800g extra-large eggs from Farmer Rods, which were $10.

Despite this, some comments on his post pointed out that the store’s price had likely increased because of some of the more premium products in its cart. For example, the “gourmet tomatoes” would probably have been more expensive than a cheaper variety. His chosen type of Farmer Rods brand extra-large eggs was also more expensive than Woolworth’s own range, which cost $4.90.

However, he justified his slightly more expensive purchases: “I know, I just prefer better quality ingredients where I can get them and compare fresh tomatoes with canned apples and pears”.

The Reddit user also wrote that while some products may have been more expensive, none of the products he bought could be considered premium or lavish purchases.

“I have to be honest, aside from some eggs that are more ethical and butter that’s about a dollar more than standard, what’s luxury in this cart? The tomato pesto? It was half price and only 25 cents more than the Woolworths brand of a similar product,” he wrote.

“Nivea soap was the only thing left on the tidy island apart from goat milk soap which I’m not really looking for. The mozzarella is the cheapest fresh option and the pasta is mid-range cost-wise.

He also says that the products in the supermarket have increased considerably in recent months.

“I know there are cheaper options. I haven’t changed anything about what I buy and it’s much more expensive than it used to be and that’s the point of this.”

According to the consumer price index, between March 2021 and 2022, the cost of food and non-alcoholic drinks alone increased by 4.3 percent. The main increase was in fuel costs, which were up 11 percent.

In terms of groceries, the CPI found that the cost of fruits and vegetables has increased by 6.7 percent in the past year, while that of meat and seafood is up 6.2 percent. Bread and grain products also increased by 3 percent, dairy and dairy-related products by 4.1 percent and foodstuffs by 4.2 percent.

Closely related, the cost of non-durable household products such as toilet paper, dish soap and light bulbs rose by as much as 8 percent year-on-year.

Just like rising gas and electricity costs, has also caused a perfect storm of factors food prices are rising† The Ukrainian war, which contributes to about 25 percent of the world’s wheat supply, has devastated its production. Due to crop failures in India, the country has also imposed an export ban.

The sky-high fertilizer costs due to supply chain issues in China this could cause more problems for future seasons as well, with smaller yields a major concern.

Last week, agricultural expert David Williams predicted that food costs could continue to rise by 10 percent because of “the Covid-related effects alone”.

“One-time significant increases in grain costs will drive food inflation and increase the cost of animal feed and thus beef and other proteins,” he said. the Australian†

In late May, the director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Kristalina Georgieva, highlighted food security as an urgent concern.

“We can reduce gasoline use if growth slows, but we have to eat every day,” she told the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

“The concern about access to food at a reasonable price, worldwide, is skyrocketing.”