Aussies divided over supermarket ‘dog act’

Aussies using this “stingy” move to cut down on their grocery bill have been given a stark warning by one supermarket who is fed up.

As the cost of living keeps climbing, Australians are increasingly turning to creative and sometimes controversial methods to manage their grocery bills.

Rising fruit and vegetable prices have sparked a wave of frugal shopping hacks, with the broccoli stalk debate once again making waves online.

A recent Reddit post showed how one supermarket, believed to be CB Fresh, a popular greengrocer at the M-City shopping centre in Clayton, Victoria, has put up a sign urging customers not to break off broccoli stalks to save money.

The sign reads: “Do not break broccoli. You will pay $1 extra for each you break if we find out”.

A sign at a greengrocer in Melbourne. Picture: Reddit

Broccoli-gate debate

The warning sparked a variety of responses from people on either side of the debate.

Some defended the practice, arguing that if you pay by weight, you should be able to choose the parts you want.

“Why should we have to pay for something we aren’t going to use?” one person argued.

“The floret ratios are so out of whack lately, and when they’re charging you by the kilo – it’s annoying,” another added.

Someone else agreed: “The broccoli that (shops) sell now are just taking the p**s. Half a foot of stem with a tiny head”.

Meanwhile, a self-confessed broccoli snapper said they “always” do this and “regret nothing”.

However, others sided with the store, saying breaking off stalks just leaves leftovers for other shoppers.

“It’s just selfish,” claimed one. “I once showed up to a supermarket and it was just stalks”.

And some claimed that the stalk was the “best bit” and they couldn’t imagine purposely getting rid of it.

People were divided over the shop’s move. Picture: Geoff Potter

‘Wasting food’

Nutritionists and industry advocates say there’s no need to throw away broccoli stalks.

Veronika Larisova, Nutritionist and co-founder of Chief Nutrition, told news.com.au: “Broccoli stalks are as nutritious as florets.

“While florets are slightly higher in vitamin C and calcium, stalks are higher in fibre and vitamin K (important for bones, for example). All other vitamins and minerals are pretty much the same in stalks and florets”.

She adds that tossing them out is a “waste,” which is a big problem across Australia, with some suburbs, like Sydney’s eastern suburbs, wasting more than 10 kilos of food per week per family.

“If you really want to save some money, ask your grocer to give you the broken-off stalks for free,” she suggests.

If you’re unsure how to use the stalks in your cooking, Ms Larisova recommends getting creative.

“Process them in a food processor and add to bolognese, meatballs or patties. Hide them in the food and get the most bang for your buck,” she says.

AUSVEG weighs in

A spokesperson from AUSVEG agrees: “All of the broccoli, including the stalk, is edible and highly nutritious.

“AUSVEG encourages all Australians to buy and eat the complete broccoli on offer and take advantage of the health benefits of eating more high-quality vegetables produced by Australian growers”.

Broccoli, a member of the brassica family, ranks as Australia’s 10th most popular vegetable.

In 2023-24, Australians averaged 2.66kg of broccoli per person.

It’s not the first time this has happened. A shop made this sign in 2020 to warn customers in the inner west of Sydney not to snap off the stalks. Picture: News.com.au

Another supermarket followed suit in 2022. Picture: News.com.au

Not an isolated incident

This isn’t the first time supermarkets have cracked down on shoppers ripping off unwanted bits of veg.

In 2022, footage of a Melbourne shop’s broccoli stand filled with discarded stalks went viral, prompting the retailer to issue stern warnings and even check vegetables at the register.

Another store in Sydney’s inner west simply warned: “Do not remove broccoli stalks, otherwise be charged double”.

News.com.au has reached out to CB Fresh and M-City for comment.