Woolies has introduced truely the strangest item I have ever seen, in an attempt to help shoppers make healthier choices amidst the ever-present cost of living crisis.
As I’m sure anyone who has stepped foot into a supermarket in the last year can confirm, food is ridiculously expensive right now, and it’s fresh fruit, veg and meats that are being hit the hardest by inflation.
In an attempt to fix the issue, Woolies (the multi-billion dollar company) has created a handy tool for shoppers to make ‘healthier’ choices instead of just, y’know, lowering their prices.
So what’s Woolies’ solution to this problem? Well, it’s a $35 shopping trolley divider AKA trolley training wheels to help shoppers avoid buying 40 blocks of chocolate (don’t @ me) by separating their trolley into the five key food groups.
The dividers were rolled out in collaboration with Healthylife, an online health and wellness platform and pharmacy.
The dividers include four labelled compartments for each of the core food groups — fruit, vegetables and legumes, grains, meat, and dairy — and then the smallest divider, which is dedicated to “sometimes” foods.
As per news.com.au, the Foodbank Hunger Report said the cost of food was the number one reason for Aussie families compromising on nutrition when they go and do their weekly shop.
Supermarket giants, Woolies and Coles both said in their 2022-2023 financial results that many shoppers were turning to frozen and canned products thanks to the bonkers prices of fresh fruit, veggies and meat — and I reckon I could’ve told them that for free.
Healthylife and Woolies also managed to develop a nutrient tracker within the Everyday Rewards app, which will allow shoppers to monitor their purchases of products with added sugar, salt and saturated fat and I am I the only person getting horrible vibes from all this?
The dividers made their way onto the supermarket scene when Healthylife examined 900 million Woolies transactions and found that Aussies were buying half of the recommended intake of fresh veggies on their shopping trips.
Simone Austin, dietitian and chief health officer at Healthylife, told news.com.au that the company teamed up with Woolies to help provide shoppers with the necessary tools to make healthier choices when they do their grocery shop.
“We know grocery shopping can sometimes be overwhelming,” she said.
“With so many options to choose from, achieving a nutritionally balanced basket can be a challenge.
“Customers will be able to assess the food groups they are purchasing and if they need to, add more foods like fruit, veggies and grains to provide enough healthy meals and snacks for their household.”
As someone who can’t afford fresh veggies or a $35 fabric divider to guilt me into buying ‘healthier’ items, I’m predicting this divider to sell less units than full cream milk in Newtown.
