Woolies boss grilled by morning show hosts over controversial decision to scrap Australia Day merch

A lifelong Woolworths customer has given its chief executive a piece of his mind for removing Australia Day merch from every store.

Woolworths chief executive Brad Banducci has received a savage grilling over the retailer’s decision to drop Australia Day merchandise.

The supermarket has come under significant heat after it was revealed last week it would stop selling Australia Day merch due to lack of sales.

Woolworths has since issued a full-page advertisement insisting the supermarket giant is not anti-Australia Day.

“We aren’t trying to ‘cancel’ Australia Day, rather Woolworths is deeply proud of our place in providing the fresh food that brings Australians together every day,” Mr Banducci wrote in the letter.

In the middle of being interrogated by 2GB radio host Ben Fordham on Wednesday morning, Mr Banducci was caught off guard by a lifelong Woolworths customer calling in to share his feedback.

Michael, 57, who lives on Sydney’s affluent north shore, said he hadn’t shopped at the supermarket since the announcement.

A Woolies customer has called 2GB radio to tell the retailer’s boss why he won’t be shopping their anymore. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Tertius Pickard

“It doesn’t matter how well or not you’ve communicated the decision, (it) was a poor decision,” he said.

“You have stewardship, sir, over 175,000 employees, you put their jobs at risk now by meddling in Australian politics.

“Stay out of politics, sell groceries and stick to that.”

Mr Banducci thanked him for his feedback and reiterated that the retailer was focused on providing great Australian-grown fruit and vegetables to their customers.

“That’s not what people are angry about,” Fordham interrupted.

“I reckon I’ve received 200 messages while you’ve been talking to us and they’re all saying the same thing, ‘We’re not going to shop at Woolworths again, we’re not copping the spin’.”

Woolworths chief executive Brad Banducci has responded to criticism over Australia Day merchandise. Picture: Today

Doing the rounds on breakfast television earlier in the morning, Mr Banducci faced a barrage of questions from the hosts trying to work out if there was more to the decision than just business.

“So you’re not anti-Australia Day as a company?” Today host Karl Stefanovic asked.

“Karl, we are a very proud Australian company. We’ve been around for 100 years. We have 178,000 hardworking team members who are going to be in store doing the right thing for our customers on Australia Day, and we’re passionate about this country,” Mr Banducci said.

“But you’re not anti-Australia Day?” Stefanovic asked again.

In a slight shift of tone, Mr Banducci conceded the day “means different things to everyone” and the supermarket leadership supported Australians to commemorate the day in whatever way they wished.

Karl Stefanovic asked if Wollworths was ‘anti-Australia Day’.

Woolworths issued a full-page ad after revealing it would not be selling Australia Day merchandise.

He added that while customers wouldn’t be able to buy the merchandise, stores around the country would be decorated in “green and gold” to commemorate the national day.

“You must have serious regrets about this?” Stefanovic continued.

“I think we could clearly have done a better job of explaining our decision, that’s why I’m here,” Mr Banducci said.

“I do feel anxious about the impact that this is having on our team. They are proud, hardworking Australians, and for them to be seen as anti-Australian or woke is fundamentally unfair.”

Mr Banducci said the decision was made almost 12 months ago when the supermarket’s leadership reflected on Australia Day sales.

Sunrise host Natalie Barr also took her turn questioning Mr Banducci, asking if it was the supermarket’s job to “tell Australians what they can and can’t buy”.

“The great thing about retail is we all make twin decisions. (The customers) have made their decision and we have made ours,” he replied.

Today hosts Karl Stefanovic and Sarah Abo have grilled the supermarket boss. Picture: Today

Barr then probed as to why the retailer felt the need to take out full-page advertisements in newspapers this week, saying “it doesn’t sound like it has gone down well”.

“It has not gone down badly. It is a decision that we made collectively as a team,” Mr Banducci said.

Liberal senator Matt Canavan joined Today later in the morning to respond to the supermarket boss’s comments.

“Brad is a man under pressure, Woolworths is under pressure and thank you to all Australians for standing up against these unelected corporate elites who think they can dictate what should happen in this country,” he said.

Mr Canavan said he believed the supermarket was being “a little bit duplicitous” and “clearly trying to make a political statement” about the day.

Originally published as Woolies boss grilled by morning show hosts over controversial decision to scrap Australia Day merch