UNHAPPY MEALS
The truth about Geelong McDonald’s onald’s prices that will make you grimace.
MCDONALD’S customers in poorer parts of Geelong are being slugged more for their fast food than those in wealthier areas, a surprising price analysis has revealed.
A Geelong Advertiser survey of 11 Maccas stores in Geelong uncovered a clear price discrepancy in what customers paid.
The Addy checked the prices of seven popular items from Maccas — a Big Mac, quarter pounder, cheeseburger, six chicken nuggets, medium fries, an Oreo McFlurry and a medium-sized Coke.
While customers paid $30.75 for the seven items at Geelong’s cheapest store at Newcomb, consumers at the most expensive outlet at the Northbound Bypass were forced to stump up $32.65 — or $1.90 more.
Geelong’s most expensive Big Mac cost $6.25 at Corio — but the same item at Belmont retailed for $5.75.
In fact, every one of the seven sample items was priced higher at Corio and the Northbound Bypass than at Belmont and Newcomb.
According to the McDonald’s website, each restaurant had a “unique set” of characteristics that could impact on pricing. “For example, trading hours, customer traffic patterns and product demand differ,” the website states. “Many restaurants also offer a range of different service options such as drive-thru, McCafe or 24 hour trading.”
The findings found drivers heading northbound from Melbourne paid more for their food than those heading south.
But Retail and Fast Food Workers Union spokesman Josh Cullinan slammed the discrepancies as “deeply concerning”, believing it “exploited” vulnerable communities.
“It wouldn’t surprise us at all that socio-economic areas that have less household income — that they are able through their systems, to charge them more,” he said. “McDonald’s exploits every opportunity to make a buck.”
Mr Cullinan said he was not aware of any other fastfood outlets having price discrepancies.
“I was surprised they were charging different rates for the same products.”
Geelong’s cheapest Maccas store was Newcomb, followed by Belmont and Geelong West.
Meanwhile, the heftiest prices were at the Northbound Bypass, Corio and Geelong Central.
Deakin University senior researcher Dr Kathryn Backholer, who has researched the prices of fast food and groceries across Australia, said the Addy’s Geelong analysis was contradictory to her findings. “Usually the prices would be cheaper in lower socio-economic neighbourhoods,” Dr Backholer said.
“But across Australia there was no real pattern as to show why there may be differences in price.”
A McDonald’s spokeswoman put the price difference down to individual franchise owners.
“As a franchise business, restaurants are able to set their own pricing based on individual business factors, so it’s common for there to be small variances,” she said.
“Pricing is not determined by the socio-economic status of an area.”