Cost of living crisis: Canstar Blue reveals how Australians are saving on groceries as supermarket prices rise

As Aussies spend more on their weekly grocery shopping, some have turned to simple tricks to cut costs.

According to a report by price comparator Canstar Blue, the average Australian household spends $176 a week on groceries, which equates to $8,320 a year.

The report also uncovered tactics shoppers are using now that budgets have tightened amid a cost-of-living crisis fueled by rampant inflation.

One of the tactics revealed by Canstar is to be aware of the supermarket you shop at and how to find cheaper deals on products.

Setting a grocery budget per person in the household, writing a grocery list, and buying products closer to their expiration date because they are cheaper were among the hacks.

Shoppers have also been encouraged to buy supermarket-branded products that are generally less expensive than their more expensive competitors.

The report, which surveyed 3,000 shoppers nationwide, found that shoppers were more concerned with how much groceries cost than with convenience.

“In previous years, convenience was the main factor driving where people would shop, but this year it’s clearly noticeable that what’s driving people is cost,” Canstar Blue’s editor-in-chief Christine Seib told me. 9News.

Ms Seib revealed that more than a third of Australians split their weekly shopping across supermarkets to find the best prices on their groceries.

The reports were released in conjunction with the publication of their best supermarket ranking, which was awarded to Aldi.

The German supermarket giant received five stars for value for money, store layout and presentation, freshness of products, quality of supermarket branded products, available offers and specials and overall satisfaction.

While the supermarket does not offer rewards programs or online shopping, they offer a unique physical shopping experience focused on lower prices.

The price comparison company had also awarded Aldi (pictured) as the best supermarket in Australia for delivering cost-effective groceries, which is more important to Aussies

Canstar’s report listed Woolworths as Aldi’s closest competitors, receiving five stars for variety of products and store layout.

Canstar noted that Woolworths’ has “about 1,000 locations” across the country, with many bakeries and sushi shops contributing to its leadership in product variety.

Coles came third between Woolworths and IGA, just a few stars below Woolies across the board, but failed to receive a five-star rating in any category.

While Aldi was ranked as the best supermarket in Australia, 56 per cent of those surveyed said they stayed with Coles or Woolies because they ‘like collecting reward points at the supermarket’.