Shopper who confronted Woolies CEO identified as Pro-Palestinian student activist

The angry shopper who ambushed the CEO of Woolworths in her local supermarket has been identified as a pro-Palestinian student activist who has drawn a link between Australia’s cost of living crisis and the conflict in Gaza.

University of Wollongong student Megan Guy gained national attention after she confronted Woolies chief executive Amanda Bardwell at a store in Warrawong, in NSW’s Illawarra region, on Tuesday. 

She asked the CEO how she could ‘sleep at night’ knowing ‘millions’ of working class Australians were going hungry while Woolworths was making ‘massive corporate profits’ during a cost of living crisis. 

Ms Guy defended her actions during an appearance on Sky News on Wednesday, revealing she had been tipped off that Ms Bardwell was visiting the store. 

‘I don’t apologise for wanting to stand up against oppression, against genocide and against the profiteering of big companies like Woolies and Coles,’ she said. 

‘I just thought I’d seize the opportunity to give the new CEO a piece of my mind and express the anger that I think millions of working class people are facing at the moment against the profiteering that’s happening during the cost of living crisis.’

Ms Guy told Sky News anchor Kieran Gilbert there was a link between Australia’s cost of living crisis and its support of Israel.

‘I think that there’s a relationship between the Albanese government giving support to a regime that is committing genocide and wanting to advance the interests of Australia’s imperialist connections, and a government that is overseeing one of the greatest attacks on living standards we’ve seen in decades,’ she said.

Megan Guy gained national media attention when she confronted Woolworths CEO Amanda Bardwell (circled) at her local supermarket in Wollongong on Tuesday

Gilbert asked Ms Guy if she had any ‘regrets’ organising an eight-week pro-Palestine encampments at her university, which led to Jewish students, staff and alumni experiencing anti-Semitism.

‘Do you feel for those students though, who’ve got nothing to do with the state of Israel? They’re simply trying to get their education,’ Gilbert asked. 

The activist said there was a ‘false conflation’ between a student being Jewish and supporting Israel.

‘But clearly that isn’t the case for many, many young Jewish, students,’ she said. 

‘That’s at the forefront of the pro-Palestine campaign in the United States, students who are Jewish who don’t agree that being Jewish means supporting a state that’s committing genocide. 

‘So no, I wouldn’t make that conflation.’

Ms Guy claimed there was a link between Australia’s cost of living crisis and its support of Israel.

‘I think that there’s a relationship between the Albanese government giving support to a regime that is committing genocide and wanting to advance the interests of Australia’s imperialist connections, and a government that is overseeing one of the greatest attacks on living standards we’ve seen in decades,’ she said. 

The activist was thrown into the spotlight on Tuesday after she questioned Ms Bardwell, who was visiting the store with chief legal officer Bill Reid and Big W managing director Daniel Hake, about Woolworths’ profits. 

‘What do you have to say to the fact that your company is profiting off price gouging during the cost of living crisis?’ she asked the CEO. 

‘Thank you for reaching out to us,’ Ms Bardwell replied.

‘We’re doing everything we can to recognise that customers are doing it tough and to make sure that they’re able to get great prices.’

Ms Guy accused the supermarket giant of a ‘vulture capitalist venture’. 

‘Your company has just bought a full extra supermarket chain through a vulture capitalist venture, so that you can continue to make big bucks while working class people suffer. Can you sleep at night knowing that?’ she asked. 

Ms Bardwell replied: ‘Our team are doing everything that we can to support our customers. We understand that it is an incredibly difficult time right now.’

 Ms Guy (pictured) was asked if she had any ‘regrets’ organising an eight-week pro-Palestine encampments at her university, which led to Jewish students experiencing anti-Semitism

Many Aussies commended Ms Guy for her efforts.

‘I’m sick of paying nearly $300 a week on groceries. That’s choosing the cheapest products. My fridge still looks half empty when I unpack,’ one said.

‘I’m sure Coles and Woolworth management don’t have cost of living crisis as they are getting bigger and bigger bonus year after year,’ a second wrote.

A third shared: ‘The supermarkets are in it to make huge profits. They don’t care about their customers, they never have.’

Ms Bardwell, a long-time Woolworths staffer, was appointed the new CEO of the supermarket giant in February following the resignation of Brad Banducci.

The CEO has worked with Woolworths Group for 23 years, including as head of marketing, and began her new role on September 1, 2024.

Her new title will see her rake in $2.15million a year, slightly less than the base salary of Mr Banducci who was on $2.6million.