Well, well, well! If Coles aren’t busy bullying their suppliers – they are trying to sell us bread that is months old as ‘Baked Today’. Are we really surprised by how low they can go anymore?
It wasn’t too long ago that I was blogging about Coles Bullying it’s suppliers by using heavy handed tactics into giving them “Rebates”. It was quite sad actually, you have some Small Businesses being totally done over by this appearingly “Evil” organization and thankfully the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (“ACCC”) came to the rescue by fining COles and protecting the underdog.
You only have to Google “coles being fined” to see countless articles on what they have been up to and surprise, surprise – they are back in the media doing something dodgy again.
This time Coles are back with a $2.5 Million Dollar fine for claiming that their bread is “freshly baked” or “baked today” – whereas according to the reports their bread had been made months earlier in Europe and more accurately “Re-Heated” in store from a Frozen or Par-Baked condition. If you aren’t from the industry – this basically means it’s made somewhere else, partially cooked and then just finished off at Coles.
To the average intelligent person, Coles had always worked hard to give the impression that it’s all baked on site and that it’s just as good as any bakery. Coles of course are pretending that “Oh we didn’t know” but they knew. I know people in the industry who have been warning Coles of this for years and do you think they care at all?
Sure, they cared they have lost a few million – and they know have to re-create their marketing campaign. Do they care about you and me personally on this one? Hmmm.
The upside about this whole situation is the power of “Social Media” (this is how I found out about it) and the fact that the ACCC are really doing a great job of policing and cleaning up shonky operators in the industry. We as small business owners are continually being policed and it’s heartwarming to see that big companies aren’t above the law like they probably think they are. Sure, $2.5 Million Dollars is probably chickenfeed to Coles but it’s a start.
What is a better move? I say we boycott Coles and big companies that lie to us and mislead us. It’s people buying their products that keep them in business, so the day we stop – is the day they are stopped.
In summation – well done to the Australian Government and for once again exposing the lies of Coles. Bringing this back to you and me, I think there are some great lessons here. Firstly, always tell the truth. Secondly, don’t tell porkies. Thirdly, don’t shop at Coles.
Love your work, thanks for the read and I am sure no doubt more stuff will come out about this very average retailer that I hope get’s replaced by ALDI real soon! x
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