Which Supermarket Is Cheapest To Shop At?

Location

The area that you live in also has an effect on how much you’ll end up paying at the supermarket. This has to do with the location of distribution centres for each supermarket, but it’s also about the availability of different kinds of shopping centres. Coles and Woolworths are basically available everywhere, but Aldi is yet to be so ubiquitous.

Overall, CHOICE found that shoppers located in the eastern states of Australia get the best deals on shopping while those in more isolated areas like Western Australia and the Northern Territory pay the most. So the same basket of goods that costs (on average between Coles and Woolworths) $174.04 in Canberra adds up to $180.41 in Darwin. But, the products that CHOICE purchased were primarily leading brand items, with three fresh food items only. Obviously, the costs of fruits and vegetables vary too much in the area to area for them to be easily measured.

Other Considerations

Obviously, CHOICE is only looking at a few of the options available to Australian shoppers. As well as choosing between Coles, Woolworths and Aldi, and making a decision to pick leading brand or private label, shoppers can access their own local economies. Visiting a farmers market, particularly when it comes to fresh fruits and vegetables, is a good way to save money and pick up on specials. As the produce from local farmers requires less distribution, the costs can often be cheaper, and specials can often be had very cheaply in the afternoons if you’re happy to accept less than perfect items. There are always options for saving money on your groceries, even if that requires you think a little outside the shop.

Where do you shop for the best value?