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‘They are abandoning our famers’: Dick Smith slams supermarket giant Aldi

Sep 26, 2018

Dick Smith has hit out at Aldi, claiming the supermarket is not supporting Aussie farmers. Source: Vimeo

Aussie entrepreneur Dick Smith has launched another scathing attack on supermarket giant Aldi, claiming they have no loyalty to Australia and are abandoning local farmers.

Sharing his opinion online via video sharing website Vimeo, the 74-year-old slammed the German owned company for turning its back on Aussies.

“We all love low prices but not so low that more and more of our young people can never have a proper full time career or our famers are forced into bankruptcy,” he exclaimed.

“Aldi started off buying here by I notice more and more they are abandoning our Australian farmers and producers.”

Accusing multi-billion dollar German owners Karl Albrecht Jr and Beate Heister of being “ultra secretive”, the entrepreneur said they have no loyalty to Australia and are not supporting Aussies in employment.

“When our typical Australian owned companies have about eight per cent of the dollar you spend on employing Australians, with Aldi it’s less than four per cent,” he explained.

“In effect they have worked out a way of sacking Australians or not putting them on in the first place so more money can be made by the owners and of course they can discount the food a bit.”

Concerned Aldi overtaking local businesses Smith added: “It’s going to take business off the Australian companies which means in effect less staff are going to be working there.

“Remember Aldi hasn’t come to Australia as a charity to help us, it’s primary about sucking wealth out of our country.”

Just months ago Smith himself was forced to close down his own food company, blaming“extreme capitalism” for driving him out of business.

In a scathing open letter targeting the German discount store he said: “It’s amazing that foreign-owned Aldi is now our most trusted brand, whereas Coles, Woolworths and Metcash (IGA) have done everything they can to try and keep our products on the shelves, are not as respected.”

Adding: “Thanks again to everyone for the wonderful support. Our suppliers are going to keep our products on the shelves as long as they can, so please look for them and try to support them. In some cases, they may have to import from overseas to compete with Aldi, but that’s the marketplace these days!”