Melbourne shoppers can buy motorcycling equipment at Aldi when they purchase their weekly supermarket shopping, but can’t go to a motorcycle shop to buy the same gear due to the strict COVID lockdown restrictions.

The inequitable situation has been pointed out by the Victorian Automobile Chamber of Commerce (VACC) who is calling for a fair playing field.

VACC CEO Geoff Gwilym says the struggling automotive industry is being sidelined at the expense of the multinational supermarket chain, which is operating with an unfair advantage.

“VACC acknowledges the need for Victorians to purchase food and other essential items from supermarkets and other stores,” he says.

“But when supermarkets are allowed to sell motorcycle helmets and gloves, while the automotive industry is not, the obvious question to ask is, why?

“If motorcycle helmets and gloves have been deemed to be not essential – and there is a good argument that they are – while motorcycle dealers are currently unable to sell them through their physical stores, then supermarkets surely should not be able to do so at the same time.”

Customers are also able to purchase additional motorbike essentials in-store including denim jeans for $89.99, a tank or tail-bag at $39.99, along with base layer top and pants, socks, disc alarm lock and even a vehicle cover.

“VACC calls on the appropriate regulatory bodies to ensure this does not happen again,” Geoff says.

“Motorcycle dealerships have seen their businesses decimated with widespread temporary closures of physical showrooms meaning many businesses sit on a knife’s edge, with an uncertain future ahead of them.

“Surely, for Aldi to hold off on selling automotive equipment during the current lockdown situation is not too much to ask.”