Aussies spend nearly $2,000 more a year on groceries

Australian families are spending $1,924 more on their groceries compared to last year as the country’s cost-of-living crisis continues to deepen.

The sharp increase was shown by a recent survey of more than 1000 households by the comparison website Finder.

The average household now spends $185 a week on groceries, which was $37 more than in February 2022.

That figure equates to a 25 percent increase in weekly grocery sales, totaling $18.8 billion nationally.

Steve Price of The Project said on Monday night’s episode that everyday Aussies feel the pinch.

“I just don’t know how families with three or four kids actually manage,” he said.

“Everything has gone up. I think people buy cheaper cuts of meat or use leftovers for lunch the next day.’

He added that it’s “very hard for people” when you factor in increases in mortgage payments, rates, utility bills and gasoline.

Co-presenter Waleed Aly referred to a recent report explaining how supermarkets were on a list of companies contributing to inflation through ‘price gouging’.

“They take advantage of the inflationary environment to charge more than they do because of the extra costs they get,” he said.

‘I think the government should form an opinion on this.’

Exactly 43 percent of households listed groceries as one of their top three most stressful expenses, a Finder survey found.

Finder research found that households are coughing up $37 more for their weekly groceries, which is a 25 percent increase from February 2022 (stock image)

Nearly half of all households surveyed listed groceries as one of their top three most stressful expenses (stock image)

The report also reveals that millennials spend more than other generations. Their weekly spend is $197, compared to $149 for Baby Boomers, $187 for Gen Xers, and $186 for Gen Z.

Finder money expert Sarah Megginson said households are going through “very hard times” as the rising cost of groceries becomes a huge additional burden.

“Aussies need to change how and where they shop to keep food on the table,” she said.

Those living in Western Australia have witnessed the sharpest increase in their weekly grocery bills, which have risen by more than a third as residents of NSW cough up more than any other state.

Money expert at Finder, Sarah Megginson, advised families to stick to a grocery list, shop late at night, and stock up on basic items when they’re on sale to save money (stock image)

But there are several ways families can save money on their weekly groceries.

Ms. Megginson recommended sticking to a shopping list so you don’t “waste money on unplanned purchases,” shopping late at night when meats and poultry are marked down by up to 80 percent, and signing up for a rewards program supermarket.

She suggested that households also “stock up on staples when they’re on sale and compare the prices of high-priced items like laundry detergent and pet food online.”

Other ways households can save are by buying frozen or canned foods, buying store brands, and avoiding specialty ingredients.

The price of groceries has increased by almost 10 percent in the past year.

Australia’s National Food Supply Chain Alliance predicts an 8 percent increase throughout 2023.