The Great Tim Tam Price Scandal: A Tale of Supermarket Shenanigans
Finding out that Tim Tams are cheaper in Japan than at my local Coles has really gotten under my skin today. Not just a little cheaper - we’re talking $1.40 less per packet. Something is seriously wrong when our beloved Aussie biscuits cost more at home than they do after being shipped halfway across the world.
The standard defense of “but shipping costs!” doesn’t hold water anymore. We’re all getting wise to the fact that sea freight is actually one of the cheapest parts of the supply chain. What we’re seeing here is pure price gouging, dressed up in the emperor’s new clothes of “market forces.”
Walking through Richmond yesterday, I spotted those familiar yellow “HALF PRICE!” tags plastered all over the biscuit aisle. The sad reality is that these “special” prices are probably closer to what we should be paying all the time. The major supermarkets have created this bizarre dance where we’re all supposed to feel grateful when they temporarily stop overcharging us.
The whole situation reminds me of those “Are you being scammed?” warnings at the self-checkout. The irony is almost painful - yes, we are being scammed, but not by the people you’re thinking of. The real scam is happening at a corporate level, with our duopoly superheros playing tag team with their “specials” rotation.
What’s particularly frustrating is how this impacts small businesses trying to compete. My local milk bar doesn’t have the luxury of marking everything up by 50% just so they can run attention-grabbing “sales.” They’re stuck trying to compete with artificially inflated prices that make their honest pricing look expensive by comparison.
The ACCC investigation into supermarket pricing practices couldn’t come soon enough. We need real competition in this country, not just the illusion of choice between two giants who seem to have mastered the art of parallel pricing strategies.
For now, I’m making a conscious effort to spread my shopping between smaller retailers and Aldi when possible. Yes, it takes more time and planning, but it feels better than being caught in this manipulative discount cycle. And who knows? Maybe if enough of us change our shopping habits, the big players might finally get the message that we’re tired of their games.
The Tim Tam situation might seem trivial in isolation, but it’s a perfect example of a much bigger problem. When our iconic Aussie treats are cheaper overseas than they are here, something’s clearly broken in our retail system. And unlike a Tim Tam that’s been dunked too long in hot coffee, this is one mess that won’t fix itself.