Tim Tams are reportedly more expensive in Australia than in the UK, with both Woolworths and Coles claiming that they’re not at fault.
A spokesperson for Woolworths said that a 200g packet costs $6 in their outlets, while a similar product would cost around £2.50 in the UK, which is equivalent to almost $5.50 away.
Paul Harker, the chief commercial officer of Woolworths, told a Senate inquiry that the company’s recommended retail prices for Tim Tams are set by the manufacturer, Arnott’s.
He also explained that the exact margins that the company earns from selling its products in the UK will determine how retailers there can offer the same product in Australia.
Adam Fitzgibbons, a spokesperson for Coles, also said that the company’s prices are similar to those of other retailers in Australia.
He said that the question is likely to be related to how Arnott’s sells its products in the country.
The committee chair, Senator Jane Hume, said that she wants to know how the company and other suppliers can set their prices and how they can be affected by the pricing of other retailers.
Nestle also said that retailers are responsible for their own pricing.
Senator Hume said that it’s strange that a product made in western Sydney would be more expensive in Australia than in London, given that it’s traveled thousands of kilometers.
A spokesperson for Arnott’s said that the company’s grocery scan data shows that the prices in Australia are cheaper than those in the UK.
In Australia, the spokesperson said that the average price that customers pay for a pack of regular Tim Tam Original is around $3.15.
This is cheaper than the UK’s average of $4.50, though it didn’t directly address the question of whether supermarkets or other retailers bear some of the cost.