Coles is cutting back on some ingredients, so much so that its products have had to undergo name changes.
Australian TikToker Dylan Grady has exposed the supermarket for being forced to rebrand its products because it has altered the ingredients so much they can no longer be called by their original name.
Products include beef sausages, which are now called BBQ sausages. Turns out Coles now makes them with a great deal of chicken as well. They kept that quiet.
Others in the ‘not quite’ category are Coles’ own-brand ice cream, which has been rebranded as a ‘frozen dessert’. Mr Grady goes through the ingredient list and while ice creams should be made with mostly milk products, the three top ingredients on the list are water and two types of sugar.
Mr Grady claims it has so few milk products it could technically be called a gelato.
Also on Mr Grady’s hit list is Coles’ margarine, which is now called ‘regular spread’. I’m not a fan of margarine at the best of times, but at least you know what it is. ‘Regular spread’ could be anything.
This week’s best deals
Aldi
Sensible: Season’s Pride Potato Hearts, $3.49. I’m scratching to find anything Valentine’s-related at Aldi. Maybe like Woolies and Australia Day merch, they are ignoring it. Do you think there will be protests? Anyway, for me, nothing says I love you like processed potato shapes you can cook in the oven. You complete me.
Indulgence: Camping gear. Who knew there were so many collapsible products out there for camping? Looks like Aldi has them all, kettles (sounds dangerous), washing machines and something called ‘large collapsible accessories’ that looks like a bunch of baskets. Happy camping.
See the catalogue here.
IGA
Sensible: MasterFoods Marinade Varieties $3.85, save $1.10. Save yourself the drama of making your own marinades with these MasterFoods lines. Soy, honey and garlic and teriyaki are the best, can’t recommend satay. Still searching for a good commercial satay sauce, so if anyone comes across one, drop it in the comments.
Indulgence: Dr Oetker Ristorante Pizzas, two for $13.20. Did they put ‘Dr’ in the branding to pretend it’s healthy? It’s not working. Not your best pizzas, but definitely not the worst supermarket pizza either. Experiment with adding a few toppings to jazz it up a bit to your taste.
See the catalogue here.
Coles
Sensible: Coles Whole Chicken, boneless, various flavours, $12. I suspect this is a knock-off of a very successful Aldi product, but who cares? It’s so handy, just slip it out of the packaging and onto a roasting tray and it’s ready in an hour. My tip, put it under the griller for five or so minutes before serving to crisp up the skin.
Indulgence: Lots of half-price chocolate. With Valentine’s just days away, expect a lot of chocolate specials. Don’t have a Valentine? Here’s where ‘self-care’ comes into its own. Prices start at $7 for the Ferrero Rocher Gift Box.
See the catalogue here.
Woolworths
Sensible: Calypso mangoes, $2.50. We are in peak mango season, and for me they are the smell of summer. Great in desserts, but they also add depth of flavour to savory dishes. Win-win.
Indulgence: Mersey Valley Cheddar varieties, $6.90, save $3. Woolworths put cheese in its Valentine’s Day deals and that’s more like it in my opinion. My favourite supermarket cheese. A ‘sometimes’ food that turns up ‘more than sometimes’ in my fridge.
See the catalogue here.
What do you think of Coles rebranding its products? Would you buy ‘regular spread’? Why not share your opinion in the comments section below?
Also read: Surcharges are booming, but are we paying too much?
Have become very adept at reading the ingredients list on products nowadays, the humble snag always went by its rightful name of mystery package to me, but a bbq isn’t the same without them