As August draws to a close, Christmas stocks have begun to appear in supermarkets and department stores, much to the surprise of many.
A photo has surfaced on Reddit showing rows of salted caramel pudding, brownie pudding and ripened Christmas pudding at Woolworths on Sunday.
Buyers were a mix of shock at the early arrival, while others were eager to accept it.
“Because” why the hell not? asked a social media user in the thread.
Another added: Hopefully Hot Cross Buns will be on shelves next week then.”
One said, “I still get emotional because the fruit pudding and cake are a gift from God.”
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Meanwhile, others were less than impressed with the holiday product launch.
One person said: “How come every year, there are still people so dumbfounded by capitalism doing its thing? You’re going to complain about Easter eggs being sold next Boxing Day.”
Another added: “The other day I noticed a display at my local post office that said ‘spread cheer’, and had to take it twice, thinking it couldn’t possibly be Christmas junk already… it was.
“Apparently I’ve been out of retail long enough to forget his nonsense.”
A third added: “What about Halloween? I don’t even participate in that, but don’t supermarkets usually do things based on upcoming holidays/events?
A spokesperson for Woolworths has revealed that it is trying to minimize waste this festive season.
“Christmas is only a few months away, and we know many of our customers start planning for the festive and entertainment season early on,” the spokesperson told news.com.au.
“With cost of living and sustainability in mind, we hope customers will look for more ways to save and minimize waste this Christmas.
“Some of our customers like to buy products early and have them in stock to help spread out their Christmas expenses. Others like to test products to make sure they hit the spot for their big Christmas feast.”
News.com.au understands that demands for Fruit Mince Pies are already up 206 per cent from last year, with Fruit Cakes up 102 per cent and Puddings up 65 per cent.
Woolworths isn’t the only retailer to have already unveiled its Christmas stock, with major stores such as Costco advertising its range of Christmas trees as well as other decorations.
Most people were delighted with the early introduction of one of the central Christmas decorations.
“Yeah, not sure if it’s in Perth yet, but I’m really excited when it arrives. I’m going to clear out the store,” one person commented.
One added: “Oh no I need someone to take me shopping at Costco lol.”
A third added: “Does this mean I can now decorate the house?”
Only a small handful were surprised that Christmas products were “already” available.
Costco CEO Patrick Noone told news.com.au: “Costco stocks holiday items earlier than other retailers so members have the opportunity to plan for the festive season ahead.
“Holiday items typically hit stores starting in August, so members can expect to find new and exciting decorations, gifts, food and more every time they visit before Christmas. “As these items are seasonal, they are only available while supplies last. For this reason, we encourage members to purchase these seasonal items as they see them: what’s there one visit may not be there the next.”
Elsewhere, some social media users have also reported seeing holiday action at Target and Bunnings.
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