This isn't one of those product dumps that you find in the $2 shop, it's made in China for Mars Australia and is standard stock in a major supermarket. Probably made from milk and sugar produced in Australia. Are we really that useless? Seriously???

Yup, sad. Asahi super dry is imported from PRC too.

Most of your windsurf kit is made in china so is it so bad your chocolate is to?

Yes, Mars Chocolate bars,... now with added melamine.

If the lower costs of production plus the cost of the additional transport are less than the cost of local production then this is what happens. The biggest cost of production is labour.

If that question is aimed at me doctor, I'm not saying we should all work for rupiah. I am saying that if you don't want to buy a Snickers bar made in China then don't buy it and buy from an Australian chocolate producer if you can find one.

It is all of our faults, we demand a cheaper consumer product and the producer demands more profit to pay for the share dividends that we demand. If the business can figure out a way to cut costs and increase profit then they will do so. Why should we vilify a manufacturer if they are simply doing what we demand?

A hypothetical: If Snickers bars were available as Chinese sourced and Australian sourced at a price premium; and clearly marked as such on the shelf at the shop. Would the "average" customer pay more for an Australian one? or say "f@#k it, I'll save a few bucks"? Welcome to globalisation and the problems we bring on ourselves

Paddles B'mere said..
I am saying that if you don't want to buy a Snickers bar made in China then don't buy it and buy from an Australian chocolate producer if you can find one.

Yep, I put it straight back on the shelf when I saw the 'Made in China' and grabbed a different chocolate. That'll teach 'em!

Agreed Subsonic, some guys like Harrow will put it back on the shelf for either economic reasons or credibility reasons. But yeah, interesting point, I'd agree that it would be more likely that a consumer would put a Chinese food product back on the shelf over a Chinese consumer electronics item. And that's possibly the new untapped market in China, even they don't trust some of their own food products and are starting to demand Australian produced food.

Subsonic said..

But aussies like to buy aussie made/grown when it comes to sticking food in their mouths.

Tell that to Dick Smith who just recently closed down his Aussie brand. I think people probably shop more by brand then by cost or loyalty. Aussie Might never sold as well as Vegimite.

I don't buy ANY food product produced in China. And with my rapidly failing eyesight I agree that country of manufacture needs to be bolder on labels.

Toph said..

Subsonic said..

But aussies like to buy aussie made/grown when it comes to sticking food in their mouths.

Tell that to Dick Smith who just recently closed down his Aussie brand. I think people probably shop more by brand then by cost or loyalty. Aussie Might never sold as well as Vegimite.

The vegemite imitation or all of the Dick Smith foods lines?

I like the cereal that someone produces under his name. I mix it with corn flakes or similar though. It tastes better and given that the shelves seem to be dominated by endless varieties of Special K, at least this has a good texture.

I think there are some people that will choose Australian made products where they can, and then Australian owned. Some people don't care, some people can't afford to care, but normally I will try and choose a product where at least some money stays here.

gs12 said..

Buster fin said..
Yup, sad. Asahi super dry is imported from PRC too.

what pisses me off that you have to turn the bottle around and squint at the super small print to find out where it came from. I mostly buy either Czech beer (the BEST!) or german. Either are better (IMO) than anything else and in most cases cheaper than Chinese/Thai brewed Asahi or Heineken

Maybe Australia should adopt a rule to clearly state place of origin in a visible place?

Apparently the czech beer sold at Dan Murphy is not the same they drink in EU..
Mate of mine who lives in EU and a big czech beer fan tried it over here when visiting and said it was too watery...I bought him a slab of Kozel he refused to drink....

he enjoyed boags premium though

dmitri said..

gs12 said..

Buster fin said..
Yup, sad. Asahi super dry is imported from PRC too.

what pisses me off that you have to turn the bottle around and squint at the super small print to find out where it came from. I mostly buy either Czech beer (the BEST!) or german. Either are better (IMO) than anything else and in most cases cheaper than Chinese/Thai brewed Asahi or Heineken

Maybe Australia should adopt a rule to clearly state place of origin in a visible place?

Apparently the czech beer sold at Dan Murphy is not the same they drink in EU..
Mate of mine who lives in EU and a big czech beer fan tried it over here when visiting and said it was too watery...I bought him a slab of Kozel he refused to drink....

he enjoyed boags premium though

Same with Stella Artois
8 pints in the uk and you were brawling at the taxi rank
In Australia you still call a stranger mate after 12
The day the chinks make my fave tipple then we're furkd

Dear gawd cauncy, if you can't see through it, don't drink it

Paddles got it spot on way up there ^^^^^ somewhere. Human greed = minimise costs = maximise profits = so I can earn more and do less and think I'm a successful.

I won't buy a Snickers if it's made in China. Problem is, I'm old and actually give a ****! The younger generation doesn't give a **** about anything so they will buy them and vindicate the Company's decision to go off shore.

Entertaining thread, bitching about wanting an Australian made, American product?