Aldi joins Woolworths in Australia Day decision which triggered fury

Anthony Albanese has accused Opposition Leader Peter Dutton of stoking culture wars over Woolworths’s decision not to sell Australia Day merchandise — despite NSW’s own Labor Premier also blasting the supermarket’s decision.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has accused Peter Dutton of stoking culture wars over Woolworths’s decision to no longer sell Australia Day merchandise.

It comes despite NSW’s own Labor Premier also blasting the decision.

Standing alongside Mr Minns at a Sydney press conference, the Prime Minister said the opposition’s criticism of the grocery giant was about “fighting culture wars”.

“I’m not quite sure how Mr Dutton explains to the 200,000 employees of Woolworths that he thinks they shouldn’t have a job because if people boycott Woolworths, if no one’s buying the product, guess what? The jobs disappear,” he said.

“My government is concerned with the fight against inflation. Peter Dutton’s concerned about fighting culture wars.”

Just a week earlier, Mr Minns was also critical of Woolworths, saying it was “odd”.

Prime Minster Anthony Albanese has attacked Peter Dutton for stoking culture wars. Picture: NCA NewsWire

“It seems odd not to offer your customers a few green and gold thongs or Southern Cross stubby holders as Australians take a well-earned day off after tough couple years,” he said.

“In 2024, I would’ve thought there was enough demand from customers for Australia Day products.”

Aldi joins Woolies in ‘woke’ Aus Day

Aldi has joined Woolworths in its decision to axe Australia Day merchandise this year.

The Daily Telegraph can reveal the German supermarket giant will not sell any special products related to the public holiday in any of its 592 stores across the country despite having done so in previous years.

Instead of Aussie flags and novelty caps, Aldi’s special buys for January 26 will instead include slow juicers, anti-snore pillows and automatic pool cleaners.

While ALDI has confirmed it will not be selling Australia day merchandise this year the group refused to comment.

It comes as Opposition Leader Peter Dutton, earlier on Thursday, called on Australians to boycott Woolworths over the supermarket giant’s decision not to sell Australia Day merchandise.

Mr Dutton blasted the company’s decision and urged customers to shop from IGA, Coles or Aldi instead — labelling the move an “outrage”.

The Albanese government on the other hand refused to condemn Woolworths, instead saying no one needed to buy anything to prove their patriotism.

“I think it’s up to customers whether they want to go in and buy the product or not. If they don’t want to celebrate Australia Day, well that’s a decision for them, but I think people should boycott Woolworths,” Mr Dutton told 2GB radio.

“I would advise very strongly to take your business elsewhere and go to IGA or Coles or Aldi. I think until we get common sense out of a company like Woolworths, I don’t think they should be supported by the public.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has called on Australians to boycott Woolworths. Picture: Richard Dobson

“For Woolworths to start taking political positions to oppose Australia Day is against the national interest, the national spirit. And most Australians, I think, just want to go to Woollies and get groceries at the cheapest possible price because a lot of them are struggling to pay the bill when they get to the checkout at the moment.”

He called on Woolworths boss Brad Banducci to reverse the decision that the company said was driven by a lack of demand.

“Other companies haven’t done it and on that basis, I think Australians should boycott Woolworths. I think Brad Banducci should come out and announce that he’s reversing the decision,” he said.

The Daily Telegraph understands Mr Dutton has spoken directly with Woolworths chief executive Brad Banducci about his views.

Aldi has joined Woolworths in its decision to not stock Australia Day items. Picture: Matt Loxton

“It’s a bad decision, it damages Woolworths, it embarrasses the employees and I think the Prime Minister, frankly, needs to call it out,” Mr Dutton said.

The Albanese government on the other hand refused to condemn Woolworths, instead saying no one needed to buy anything to prove their patriotism.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said his focus was ensuring the supermarket was doing the “right thing by customers at the checkout”.

“What I’d say to Australians is that Australia Day is a day in which you should buy Australian, buy some of that wonderful lamb,” he said.

“It is a day in which we can give respect to First Nations people. We acknowledge that it’s a difficult day for them, but it’s also a day in which we can reflect on what it means to be Australian and how we can make the greatest country on earth even better in the future.”

Agriculture Minister Murray Watt accused Opposition leader Peter Dutton of risking the jobs of 200,000 Australians by urging customers to boycott Woolworths.

“Peter Dutton is focused on putting the jobs of more than 200,000 workers at risk just so he can score a cheap political point on a radio station,” he said.

“We are not focused on the kind of thongs supermarkets sell, the kind of t-shirts the supermarkets sell, we will leave that kind of negativity and division to Peter Dutton.”

Mr Watt said Australians cared more about their grocery bills than the availability of Australia Day merchandise at supermarkets.

“It’s a matter for Australians and businesses what they do (and) what they say when it comes to politics,” he said.”We don’t live in some kind of dictatorship...we will leave those decisions to businesses.”

WIDESPREAD CONDEMNATION

Woolworths has been condemned across the country for ditching its ties to Australia Day, announcing it would no longer sell merchandise related to the public holiday.

In The Daily Telegraph’s online poll, with more than 2300 responses, 90 per cent believe Woolworths has made the wrong call. Just five per cent supported it, and the other five were indifferent.

And on social media, in a similar poll, 3500 people believe Woolworths made the wrong move and just 200 agree.

The decision, which affects 1095 food stores and 177 Big Ws across the country, came amid a “broader discussion about 26 January and what it means to different parts of the community”, Woolworths said.

“While Australian flags are sold within Big W all year round, we don’t have any additional themed merchandise available to purchase in-store in our supermarkets or BIG W ahead of Australia Day,” a spokesman for the group said in a statement on Wednesday.

The group also cited falling sales for the move, saying: “There has been a gradual decline in demand for Australia Day merchandise from our stores over recent years”.

The action prompted a fierce response, with Indigenous advocate Warren Mundine saying he didn’t “buy” the commercial reasoning behind the decision.

“It’s disgraceful. It is a continuation of what the corporation did in the referendum campaign. They are completely out of touch with the Australian public,” he said.

“It’s about time these corporates actually pull their head in … Do your job, you are a retail store for Australia. If Woolworths isn’t proud of this country they can pack up and bugger off.”

Woolworths says demand for the items has dropped. Picture: Christian Gilles

Senator Jacinta Price was also scathing of the decision.

“Aussies made it clear last October that they don’t want to be divided,’’ she said. “Now, when most Australians are worried about how they’re going to afford their groceries, the activists running Woolworths are spending their time virtue-signalling and trying to divide us.’’

Australia Day merchandise will not be sold in Woolworths stores.

Premier Chris Minns said the decision “came as a surprise to me”.

“In 2024, I would’ve thought there was enough demand from customers for Australia Day products,” he said.

“It seems odd not to offer your customers a few green and gold thongs or southern cross stubby holders as Australians take a well-earned day off after a tough couple of years.”

Independent Fowler MP Dai Le, whose southwest Sydney community has a large population of migrants, called it a “ridiculous decision”.

“For many migrants Australia Day is to celebrate and recognise their new found identity,’’ she said.

Former Greens Senator Lidia Thorpe congratulated Woolworths on the decision.

“For First Peoples, January 26 is a day that brings memories of invasion and pain, so I look forward to seeing more leaders in our communities recognising this, as Woolworths has,” she said.

“Because January 26 can and should be a day of reflection that we’re all part of, and that brings us together as a nation.”

Australian “lambassador” and media personality Sam Kekovich said he found it “quite bizarre” for a national company to ignore the national day.

“Why would they want to be engaged in political statements when they are a retailer? I don’t think they should be importing politics into the way people shop,” he said.

Queensland MP Robbie Katter also weighted into the debate, accusing major corporations of being “out of touch” with the general voters.

The Mount Isa MP said Australia Day should be a day to celebrate “being proud Australians”.

“Australia Day is a time for Australians to come together, reflect on their history, and celebrate the great achievements of this country, often over a steaming barbie and an open tinnie,” Mr Katter said.

“It never ceases to amaze that corporate Australia continues to think they have the moral standing in the community to preach to us on what our values are when they exhibit the most egregious, sickeningly monopolistic corporate behaviour.

“Australians don’t want to get their moral education from a corporation that made a billion dollar profit during the strongest inflationary surge in the last 40 years.

“And here they are giving us a lecture on Australian values.”

Federal MP Bob Katter also took a shot at the supermarket giants on the issue, saying the stance was indicative of a “yawning abyss” separating corporate Australia from ordinary working people.

“One gets the impression that the wokies are at it again. They really don’t want to say that they are Australian. They are ashamed of it,” he said.

“I personally have made the decision, if it’s at all humanly possible, not to shop at Woolworths or Coles.

“They are unAustralian and what they have done to the farmers of Australia would make a good Australian weep.”

NSW Premier Chris Minns. Picture: Monique Harmer

Woolworths CEO Brad Banducci. Picture: Woolworths

A spokeswoman for Woolworths said CEO Brad Banducci was not available for an interview to discuss the decision, adding that Woolworths did not have any additional comment to their initial statement.

Woolworths’ main rival Coles confirmed it would not follow their competitor’s lead and would stock a “small range of Australian-themed summer entertaining merchandise throughout January”.

Millionaire businessman Dick Smith said “we should always celebrate that day because it’s the start of modern Australia”.

“I am a patriotic Australian and I’m disappointed they have made that decision,” he said.

Acting NSW Opposition leader Natalie Ward said: “Australians are entitled to be proud of Australia Day as our national day, and not made to feel ashamed to celebrate (it)”.

In 2015, Woolworths abruptly axed a controversial Anzac Day campaign after being criticised for using the company’s logo with the phrase Fresh in our Memories over images of Aussie Diggers.

Advertising and marketing expert Toby Ralph said of the latest move: “Woolworths wouldn’t do this without a great deal of thought.”

“It would have been a carefully considered decision. I can imagine it’ll infuriate a whole lot of people but at a business level I’d be surprised if people stopped going to Woolworths,” he said.

“We’ve seen the cost of virtue signalling with companies like Bud Light in the US.

“Bud Light lost fortunes because they jumped on the gender identity bandwagon.

“They suffered tremendously … people don’t want to be lectured by big companies.”

Originally published as Aldi joins Woolworths in Australia Day decision which triggered fury