Exclusive Insight: Each time Sharon Leisk steps into her local Woolworths in Perth, a sense of apprehension accompanies her. What concerns her most is not what she might encounter, but rather what might be missing from the shelves.

Approximately seven years ago, Leisk made the decision to adopt a vegan lifestyle, primarily for health benefits. However, she has observed a troubling trend: the availability of plant-based products is dwindling as Woolworths reduces its range of these items.

“The stores I frequent used to have plant-based meat alternatives positioned near the traditional meat section,” Leisk explained to 9news.com.au. “Additionally, there was a dedicated section for dairy alternatives, which included tofu, vegan cheeses, and similar products.”

Now, she notes, these have been consolidated into a single, much smaller shelf. “It’s half the size, and everything seems to be perpetually out of stock,” she added, highlighting her growing frustration with the shrinking selection.

“Now they’ve gone and combined them into one shelf, half the size, and everything’s just running out.

“My local store, it just looks really empty.”

When she approached store managers about the lack of plant-based options, they advised her to contact head office.

Leisk claimed she emailed and called Woolworths’ head office and was told the cuts were due to “poor sales” of plant-based products.

And it seems it’s not just affecting Woolworths locations in Perth.

A Woolworths Metro in North Sydney which boasts multiple fridges of meat and cheese products had only four small fridge shelves of plant-based alternatives.

Woolworths confirmed its plant-based range has shrunk of late, especially in one category.

“Customer demand for plant-based protein products in our stores has most definitely softened, and this is in line with what we’re seeing in other markets around the world,” a spokesperson told 9news.

It’s not the only supermarket cutting back on plant-based options either.

A spokesperson for Coles confirmed to 9news that the grocery giant had ”refined” its plant-based meat alternatives “over the past two years to better reflect customer demand”.

Leisk worries the changes will make it harder for Australians who follow plant-based diets to get the food they need at reasonable prices.

Independent retailers may charge more for plant-based options, which some Aussies rely on for health as well as personal reasons.

”My other concern is for people in remote communities, where Woolworths is your only choice and when they run out, it’s pretty sad,” she said.

More than 700 supporters have already signed.

The petition calls on Woolworths to communicate transparently about product changes now and in the future.

It also suggests the retailer establish a “Vegan Product Advisory Group” of customers, nutrition experts, and sustainability advocates to help guide future decisions about its plant-based range.

“We’ll continue to provide choice, and a good range of plant-based products and ingredients,” the Woolworths spokesperson said.

“We’ll also shortly be offering all chilled plant-based products and ingredients in a single place in our stores to make it easier for customers to find what they’re after.

“Consumer demand is also met, of course, by many independent retailers.”