Aussie food shopping prices vs UK food shopping

[ClaudiaSchiffer]

Ok, now I know this means that I am the most boring person EVAH, but after years of arguing with (aussie) dh about where has the cheapest shopping I finally got around to doing an on-line comparison . . .

The results of a basic weekly shop were . . .

Wait for it . . .

Coles $136.86

Sainsburys $102.14

So over TWENTY POUNDS cheaper to shop at evil Sainsbo's than marginally less evil Coles.

Quite significant don'tcha think?

I converted the prices to dollars but given the comparison in UK pounds.

So $35 (ish) dollars difference

or 20 UK pounds.

very interesting.......so is Coles like a Sainsburies equivalent then???

Yup, we have 2 big supermarket chains here, Coles and Woolworths.

Thank you for being interested Toccata

you're welcome

I am interested too.

I noticed yesterday at Coles they had one of those trolley comparison things with safeway. They were saying they were $30 something cheaper .

I have noticed in Australia that there are not many special offers. EG in the UK I never once bought baby wipes that weren't 3 for 2 or dishwasher tablets that weren't 25% free or whatever is was. And I always bought the olive oil that was on special when I needed to buy some.

Exactly Savoy, you got loads of bogofs in the UK and none here. Also when things are on special they are say, um, 20c off. So not huge bargains in the general scheme of things.

My dh defends Aussie supermarkets by suggesting they are more fair to farmers than the big UK ones, which may well be the case.

I sort of agree with giving farmers a fair price etc but we are currently poor as church mice so would prefer a cheaper weekly shop.

My husband doesn't believe me either, keeps saying "but we grow our own food in Australia, don't need to import it, living expenses higher in England everyone knows, etc".

Also, I have less people to feed then you do, Claudia, and some weeks I spend close to $200. So I think you're doing well, in the circs.

hee hee, tortoise, I spend WAY more that 140 bucks a week - I was just adding up a basic sort of shop, leaving our all the nuts, doritos, sweeties, sleb mags, nair varnish etc etc

Get your dh to do a sainsbos vs coles comparison tortoise, he will be ASTONISHED (or very very bored).

I suspect the latter. But I might present it as a "either you concede that I am right or you do this exercise yourself" thus ensuring my victory for all time.

Hey, while we're having this riveting conversation, do you know what the delivery fee for an online shop is? This is Actual Work I'm doing, here.

I think delivery from Coles is FREE this month, not sure what their normal cost is (maybe $10??) - I've never had it done, I think they've only just started delivering to our area.

tortoise, tell him that is isn't that they don't need to import food it is that they won't import food.

I don't know how long you have been here, but in our first year (2006) bananas were upto $25 a kilo. Because a bad storm had all destroyed the whole banana plantation. So to prevent over buying & to get the money back, they raised the price so no one could afford them.

Where as, perhaps another country would have imported from a different region, this doesn't happen here as they won't import perishable foods.

Different, I do remember that (I've been here since 1990!); it was to support the Qld banana farmers, wasn't it? I was on board with that. But yes, good example.

Thanks Claudia. It really is for a case, so I should probably look it up properly .

Also, I have found that Woolworths is cheaper at the moment. I know everyone hates them, because of the credit card thing, but they have more of the home range & more discounts.

I spend at least $40 less there than in Coles, or Foodland (who used to be cheapest, but they are fast catching up with Coles & have little alternatives to brands)

Coles are also claiming to cut prices on the things people buy the most of....yeah, of course. But where you see almost empty shelve, there are no discounts, because they don't really mean it!

Like, for example...everyone buy bread/milk/butter etc. But no price cuts on bread/milk/butter. Nappies are quite good sellers, but no discounts on those. Why? Because they are all essentials, people have to buy them, they don't choose to!

And don't get me started on the price of bread over here!

4 yrs ago my weekly shop cost $150. Now I am lucky if I get change from $200.

What credit card thing?

Our weekly shop has gone from $80 to $200 in ten years, and the addition of one toddler does not allow for this, given that she eats Not Much, wears cloth nappies and was EBF. So yes. I feel your pain.

I had no problem with them needing to get the money back to replant etc...but it can sometimes be ridiculous that they don't import!

They want you to buy Australian, but it is so expensive. I am SAHM, dh earns a manual wage & we can't afford to be picky wrt to food. I buy good quality where I can.

Am a tad perplexed that 1/2 a cauli costs $4 at the mo...how are we supposed to eat fresh veges at that kind of cost?

You know that with eftpos you have a chq, savings or credit option?

Well Ww have taken off the credit option, due to their cost for processing cards on that service. So now, you can only do savings/chq. BUT if you are using a credit card, you have the credit option.

(Hope that makes sense)

They are saying that by removing the credit option on eftpos they are able to keep their prices lower than ever (I have noticed a difference, as I said)

BREAD!!!!!

Diffname you're so right . . . I always go for 2 for $6 specials, but that still means TWO QUID a loaf!!!

Farkin' Hell. It's still shitty sliced bread, nowt fancy like.

Cole del is free between 7/6 & 10/7 to celebrate a yr of online shopping.

Could you send me the list so I can compare Woolworths here in NZ? I swear we are ripped off here. $10 for buffalo mozzarella!

I know CF. I was getting it at $1.75 from Ww, on special (nice loaf too) but now that has ended so it back to the specials as you said!

Coles did 3 for $5, which was good. But again, it doesn't last!

Just for you thelittlestkiwi is my list . . .

Tissues
Loo roll
Peanut butter
Nutella (small jar)
Butter
Pasta
Pesto
Tabasco
Bread
Chedder
Parmesan
Ham
Dog food wet & dry
Eggs
Potatoes (2kg)
Garlic
Mushrooms (500g)
Leeks (2)
Onions (6)
Bananas (1kg)
Apples (1kg)
Yoghurts
Jatz/Ritz crackers
Tuna (4)
Hellmans Mayonnaise
Beef stewing steak (1kg)
Red lentils

Obv not a complete shopping list (forgot to put milk on for example) but covers our basics.

Bread was 2 loaves. Small Tabasco. 3.5kg bag of dog biccies and 6 tins.

You buy vegetables at a supermarket? Why why wwwwwwhhhhhyyyyy would you do that?

differentname, you can only use the credit option with a credit card? I don't understand, what else could you use it with?

Yup, I'm lazy

Are they a lot cheaper at the greengrocers then?

See I'm not very good at this.

It definitely differs here, state to state. Even store to store on some occasions....

I think it was Coles who promised prices were to stay the same store wide recently.