Woolies and Coles fee outraging customers
Supermarket shoppers have been left outraged by the fact they are paying a flat fee for bags on home delivery.
Coles charges $1.50 for bags on home delivery, while Woolworths asks customers for a total of $2 when it comes to having items packed for home delivery.
But, customers who are only ordering enough items for two or three bags are being left frustrated as their bag needs would cost less if they were being charged per bag rather than a flat fee.
Currently in store, Woolworths has three options for bags – the 15 cent reusable bag, which is being phased out nationally, 25 cent paper bags and the 99 cent classic tote.
Coles is also ditching the 15 cent bags, with recycled bags costing 25 cents and reusable and chiller bags having price tags of $1 and $2.50.
Shoppers began calling out the two major supermarkets earlier this month, with many furious after receiving less than $1.50’s worth of bags.
“Why is there a flat rate of $1.50 for my online home delivery order? I shop weekly and average three bags,” one Coles shopper said, adding that it wasn’t like this with the plastic bags.
“You are ripping off all those who have smaller shops, usually singles or elderly. I am not happy to be charged more for less. Go back to charging per bag.”
One said the supermarkets “managed to find a new way to profit off us all” with the flat fees.
Another customer said: “Why is there a $1.50 charge for paper bags on online orders?”
Meanwhile, Woolworths customers were equally displeased about the flat fee on the cost of home delivery bags.
“Why are paper bags now charged at $2 per order? If I leave my own bags out is the delivery driver going to pack them for me or leave my items loose on the front porch?” one customer said.
One social media user described it as “rubbish” that the supermarket had a flat fee on the shopping bags.
Woolworths explained that Delivery Unlimited no longer included the price of the bags in the subscription price.
“Our Delivery Unlimited offering continues to be very popular with customers and with an unlimited number of deliveries for $15 per month or $119 for an annual subscription it provides great value and convenience to customers,” a spokesperson said.
“With rising fuel prices and other costs it’s required us to review the offer, while we are increasing the minimum spend for orders from $50 to $75, the price of our monthly and annual subscriptions remains the same.
“Bag fees will no longer be included in the subscription price and there will be a $1 fee for reusable bags or $2 for paper bags.”
Meanwhile, Coles said the supermarket recently made the decision to provide customers with 100 per cent recycled paper bags as an alternative to soft plastic bags.
“For a flat fee of $1.50 customers will get their groceries delivered to their home or boot regardless of how many bags they require,” the spokesperson said. “Our transition to paper bags by the end of June in-store and online shows our commitment to reduce problematic packaging at the checkout, and will remove 230 million plastic bags from circulation in one year. The 100 per cent recycled paper bags can be recycled kerbside and hold up to six kilos of groceries.”
Coles is also trialling Swapa-box in selected states that allows customers to use a reusable box when making Click&Collect orders.