The on-line shopping website Australian Groceries, or OnlyOz, has blamed a lack of support for Australian brands for the collapse of Gourmet Food Holdings, owner of Rosella.
Katie Hooker, co-founder of Only Oz, has commented on the lack of willingness by consumers to buy domestic products.
“I challenge everyone to only buy Australian made from Australian owned companies this Christmas,” she said in a statement. “You will not only be giving great products, but you will also be keeping Australians employed.
“We can not make the government buy Australian made cars or Australian made paper products… We can all chose to buy Australian this Christmas. You never know, you might be preventing another Australian manufacturer from going into receivership!”
Others, including the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union, have blamed the appeal of cheap imports for difficulties facing Australian food and beverage manufacturers.
Gourmet Food Holdings was placed in receivership earlier this month, with Ferrier Hodgson acting as receivers and managers. Gourmet employs 275 people in Australia and New Zealand.