The cost of living crisis in Australia has continued to hit the nation where it hurts- this time with the beloved Bunnings sausage sizzle falling victim to inflation, with the snag and bread combo set to increase its prices for the first time in 15 years.
The price hike will commence on Saturday, July 23, with those keen to enjoy the beloved weekend treat having to find some extra change as the price of the sausage will rise from $2.50 to $3.50.
Onions will still be a cost-free option, and drinks will remain at $1.50
But the warehouse giant has reassured the public that all the money raised goes straight to the groups running the sizzle.
“It’s been an incredibly difficult couple of years with the lack of fundraising opportunities and the pressure on community group services and support continues to be a growing need in our wider community,” Bunnings Group managing director Mike Schneider told the Herald Sun.
More than 300 Bunnings stores across the country will implement the new prices in a response to the hundreds of community groups struggling to cover the rising costs of the ingredients.
“The sausage sizzle will always be a community-led initiative and we have listened and responded in a way we hope allows groups to maximise fundraising efforts, whilst still giving customers a simple way to support their local community.”
The Bunnings snag has become a popular Aussie weekend tradition, with over 155,000 sausage sizzles taking place across the country in the past five years thanks to the efforts of community groups.
Over $140 million has been raised by Bunnings alone during the same period, with sausage sizzle fundraisers earning between $800 to $900 for their chosen charities.
“It’s a pretty simple recipe – it’s a snag, a bit of bread and some sauce and onion to taste,’’ Schneider said.
“But what it does is really help raise much-needed funds for local community groups … whether it’s the local school or sporting club or to do something in the community.’’
The sausage sizzles price hike comes just days prior to warnings from major Aussie supermarkets that shoppers can expect higher grocery bills.
From August 1, Coles, Woolies, Aldi and IGA are due to hike prices for hundreds of goods as their suppliers of processed and packaged goods also face increased costs.
The overall cost of living crisis looks set to worsen in coming months with petrol prices set to increase in September when the temporary fuel excise ends.