Australia’s cheapest supermarket revealed – and the everyday items that vary most in price between the big three grocers
Australia’s cheapest supermarket has been revealed, with results showing which items shoppers can save the most on at major grocery chains.
Comparison site Searcher has revealed that Aldi is offering Australians the best price on a basket of products, up to $7 and $14 respectively, compared to a basket from supermarket giants Woolworths and Coles.
The discount retailer offered the cheapest prices on essentials, including milk and dairy products, as well as eggs and meat.
Comparison site Finder has revealed that Aldi can save up to $14 on weekly purchases, according to its latest analysis.
According to Finder’s research, Coles couldn’t match the prices of its two competitors, who offered better value for money, but they offered lower prices on other items.
In Finder’s results, a dozen large cage eggs cost $4.29 at Aldi, $4.50 at Coles and $4.60 at Woolworths.
Meat is significantly cheaper at Aldi, with a 500gram pack of pork sausages costing $4.99, compared to $5.83 at Woolworths and $6.00 at Coles.
While a three-litre bottle of milk is cheaper at Aldi, the price is almost the same at Woolworths and Coles.
Woolworths, however, had the upper hand with fruit and vegetable prices. It had the cheapest price for a kilogram of carrots and brown onions respectively. Overall, onions showed the largest price variation of 5 per cent, with Woolworths charging the cheapest at $2 per kilo.
When the basket of 50 items compared at the three retailers was added together, the total cost at Aldi was $200.
The sum at Woolworths and Coles is $207 and $214 respectively.
According to the findings, Coles could not match the prices of rivals Woolworths and Aldi, but offered savings on other food products.
Woolworths has offered better savings on a range of fruit and vegetables, with a kilo of brown onions costing just $2.
Finder’s head of consumer research, Graham Cooke, urged customers to buy their groceries at better value.
“You don’t have to drive all over town to save $2 on your onions, but a little awareness goes a long way,” Mr Cooke said.
“Make it a habit to check out the weekly half price deals at major supermarkets so you can stock up on your regular purchases when they’re on sale.
The average household spends $185 on weekly groceries in September 2023, Finder’s Consumer Sentiment Tracker found.
Mr Cooke said customers should be aware of savings schemes offered by supermarkets, which can reduce the price of their purchases.
“Coles and Woolies also offer loyalty points and don’t charge you extra to pay by card, so it’s worth bearing in mind if the prices are almost the same,” he said.
“Large supermarkets also carry a much wider range of brands, and not all products will be of exactly the same quality.”
Customers have been urged to shop around for better deals, keeping an eye out for savings offered by major supermarket chains.
It comes after Australians endured a horrible year at the checkout due to the rising cost of living – with inflation rising 7.8% in 2022.
The rate has since moderated to 6.0% year-on-year in the second quarter of 2023.
Data shows Australians have responded to rising inflation by removing grains, berries, seafood and chips from their weekly shop.