Exclusive Insight: Every visit to her neighborhood Woolworths in Perth fills Sharon Leisk with a sense of apprehension.
Her concern revolves around what might be missing from the shelves.
Having adopted a vegan lifestyle around seven years ago for the sake of her health, Leisk has noticed an increasing scarcity of plant-based products as the supermarket chain reduces its selection.
Woolworths has acknowledged a recent decrease in its plant-based offerings, particularly in one specific category.
“We’ve observed a noticeable decline in customer interest for plant-based protein products in our stores, reflecting a global trend,” a Woolworths spokesperson revealed to 9news.
This trend isn’t isolated to Woolworths; other supermarkets are also scaling back their plant-based selections.
A spokesperson for Coles confirmed to 9news that the grocery giant had ”refined” its plant-based meat alternatives “over the past two years to better reflect customer demand”.
Leisk worries the changes will make it harder for Australians who follow plant-based diets to get the food they need at reasonable prices.
Independent retailers may charge more for plant-based options, which some Aussies rely on for health as well as personal reasons.
”My other concern is for people in remote communities, where Woolworths is your only choice and when they run out, it’s pretty sad,” she said.
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More than 700 supporters have already signed.
The petition calls on Woolworths to communicate transparently about product changes now and in the future.
It also suggests the retailer establish a “Vegan Product Advisory Group” of customers, nutrition experts, and sustainability advocates to help guide future decisions about its plant-based range.
“We’ll continue to provide choice, and a good range of plant-based products and ingredients,” the Woolworths spokesperson said.
“We’ll also shortly be offering all chilled plant-based products and ingredients in a single place in our stores to make it easier for customers to find what they’re after.
“Consumer demand is also met, of course, by many independent retailers.”
