The Bunnings sausage sizzle is a beloved ritual for peckish weekenders heading to the hardware store, and a boost for local charities — but now it too has been hit by the cost-of-living crisis.
Prices last month increased at the iconic barbecues across Australia, as the community groups fundraising at the fry-ups reported plummeting profits, the company said.
While the bangers in bread will remain a bargain at $3.50, with sauce and onions free of charge, the cost of a cold canned drink to wash them down has now gone up by 50c.
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The price of soft drinks increased from $1.50 to $2 on February 1, with all funds raised at the sausage sizzles to continue to go directly to the individual community groups behind the grill.
Similar calls from community groups prompted a price increase for the sausage in bread in July 2022 — the jump, from $2.50 to $3.50, was the first instance of a Bunnings snag price increase since 2007.
The price tag on canned drinks remained at $1.50 during the 2022 price increase.
“The change responds to calls from local community groups, not-for-profits and charities that have seen a decline in funds raised due to the increased cost of the goods required to run the barbecue,” Bunnings said in a pricing update on its website.
Bunnings supplies the trestle table, barbecue, gas, and gazebo for each sausage sizzle, along with a blackboard to display prices.
Sausages, bread, onions, condiments and drinks are all supplied by the individual fundraising groups, prompting the price change.
“Grassroots community groups are the backbone of our local communities, and this change has been made in response to direct feedback from more than 100 volunteer groups right across Australia who are seeing a lower fundraising opportunity,” Bunnings Group managing director, Mike Schneider said in a statement at the time.
While some Australians discussing the most recent sausage sizzle price increase have slammed it on social media, saying the move is enough to keep them walking straight to the car, others have said they are happy to cough up an extra 50c for charity.