what if we LIKE having choices?!?

[Junglemum]

It might feel like you are not doing much Laura, but really, besides not supporting their home brand products, there isn't a huge amount we can do, short of chaining ourselves to the trolleys?! lol!

I try and shop IGA, local green grocer, local butcher etc. Because it will be a sad day when Coles and
WW have knocked out all the small buisness and our only choice is to shop at their stores on their terms.

I don't think that there is anything wrong with the quality of their homebrand products, but as other people have said, they are often made by a competitor, with a new label. The problem is that when you buy the store brand becasue it is cheaper, the other company is making a much smaller margin on the product, or missing out all together. If they manage to knock out all the competition they can sell what they like at whatever price they like.

My Friend has a fresh produce farm, one of their biggest customers is one of these chains. They were pretty much given an ultimatum, either they sell the fruit under the store brand, or they would stop buying their fruit. This meant the price they would pay for if for was much less, but as this store bought a large % of their fruit they didn't have many options. So their profit margin was slashed, and they lost the marketing/advertising of their product.

i like to have choices too, let's hope it stays that way! Shop local! I think just being aware is a start.

[Snowy Love]

I don't think that there is anything wrong with the quality of their homebrand products, but as other people have said, they are often made by a competitor, with a new label. The problem is that when you buy the store brand becasue it is cheaper, the other company is making a much smaller margin on the product, or missing out all together. If they manage to knock out all the competition they can sell what they like at whatever price they like.

My Friend has a fresh produce farm, one of their biggest customers is one of these chains. They were pretty much given an ultimatum, either they sell the fruit under the store brand, or they would stop buying their fruit. This meant the price they would pay for if for was much less, but as this store bought a large % of their fruit they didn't have many options. So their profit margin was slashed, and they lost the marketing/advertising of their product.

I think you're right. DH read a book about Wal-Mart and from what he told me that is what they do - basically the only ones making anything on the products they sell is Wal-Mart and the suppliers have the choice of making a pittance on their products or not being stocked at Wal-Mart (the largest retailer in the US). I try to buy the smaller brands and I should shop at the IGA, but its always so crowded and so difficult to get a park I don't go there too often. Will try to turn over a new leaf.