Australian supermarkets are reportedly checking customers' broccoli purchases at the checkout to ensure the stems are still attached, following a viral video showing shoppers snapping them off to save money. A sign placed in front of a broccoli stand warns: 'ATT customers. You must not break the stems of the broccoli. This is classed as theft. All broccoli purchases will be checked at the registers. Thanks, Management.'
The sign, shared on Twitter by radio show 3AW Breakfast, has sparked annoyance online. It comes after a Coles customer in Melbourne filmed a TikTok clip showing supermarket shelves strewn with leftover broccoli stalks. The video went viral, with viewers suggesting snapping the stalks can save up to $1.50 per purchase as broccoli prices soar to $11.90 a kilo.
Flooding and bad weather in key growing regions have driven up fruit and vegetable prices, with some stores charging up to $12 for a head of iceberg lettuce. AUSVEG, the growers' lobby group, warned that high petrol and fertiliser costs mean consumers will continue paying more for fresh food for much of 2022.
In response, dietitian Susie Burrell recommends swapping expensive vegetables for cheaper alternatives. 'Broccoli is a superfood, rich in anti cancer molecules, Vitamin C and fibre but so is cauliflower at half the price,' she said. Cauliflower costs $4-$5 each at major supermarkets. She also suggests tinned tomatoes ($1-$2 a can) over fresh ones ($10-$14 per kilo), and kale over lettuce.
