Australia’s love of the ‘bachelor’s handbag’ has just been immortalised
Whether it’s being incorporated into other dishes or devoured limb-for-limb straight out of the bag, the supermarket hot chook has firmly embedded itself in Aussie eating habits.
Now, the ‘bachelor’s handbag’, as it’s affectionately known, has been immortalised in the form of an actual bag.
You can now carry around a ‘bachelor’s handbag’ without the risk of chicken juice spillage. Supplied/Woolworths
The limited-edition bag will be available at Woolworths, in store and online at select supermarkets and Metro stores, from Wednesday, October 14 while stocks last.
Selling at $10 a pop, the thermally insulated bags include a handle and detachable strap.
They’re designed to look like the real thing, complete with all the distinctive graphics – the only thing missing is the chicken juices sloshing around the bottom of the bag.
Of course, you could use them to house your actual bachelor’s handbag as you do your shopping, but the sky is the limit. We’re calling it: you’ll see these at the beach en masse this summer.
It’s no secret Aussies love a hot chook, whether they get them from Woolies, Coles or Costco, but the numbers really tell a story.
Supermarkets around the country sell a staggering 90 million of them a year.
Coles and Woolworths have been selling hot roast chickens in stores since the ’60s, originally from staffed deli counters rather than today’s grab-and-go format.
By the mid-2000s, the standalone warmer was industry standard for both major supermarkets.
Aussies love a supermarket hot chook. Getty Images
While the classic roast chook is a perennial favourite, it’s undergone some evolution, with both supermarkets experimenting with different flavours.
This year alone, Woolies has released a smokey BBQ infused rotisserie chicken, while Coles has dropped a butter chicken-flavoured variety.
Both brands have also started rolling out half and quarter chicken cuts, offering a whole new level of convenience for shoppers who don’t need a whole chook.
As for the distinctly Aussie nickname ‘bachelor’s handbag’, it won Macquarie Dictionary’s People’s Choice Word of the Year in 2022.
The dictionary defined its meaning as “a takeaway roast chicken [from the fact that such a chicken requires no further preparation before consumption, so is seen as an easy meal favoured by a single person, and that it is often packaged in a small plastic bag with a handle, resembling a handbag]“.
