ABCDiamond

But if the Government did that, then what would happen to all the smaller shops that are selling the food cheaper ?

Wouldn't it just be easier for people to shop at the cheaper shops that we already have ?

AussieDreamin

Good point but the reality is that most people prefer supermarkets because they save time, and time is something a lot of us don't have in abundance!

bcworld

I can guarantee you that nowhere around here is selling bananas at $1.60/3kg.....not unless they've turned brown already and are in the bargain bin. Isn't there a banana plantation in Redland Bay? Perhaps yours are locally sourced.....why do you assume everyone has access to the same as you?

The Crow

Not it's not - I've upset a few people by referring to their bungalows as bungalows They call a bungalow a granny flat or cabin in the back yard in my experience.

iamthecreaturefromuranus

Sorry but your perception isn't the reality...

http://ro.uow.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent...text=hbspapers

Seven year study into food prices in the Illawarra.

Quote "The present study continues to show that the type of food outlet where food is purchased does have an impact on food prices. Generally, it costs less to purchase fruits and vegetables at independent greengrocers and meat at butchers. Although the absolute differences were small,
consumers could make useful savings by being selective about the type of food outlets when purchasing specific foods."

So you do save... but only small amounts... and these amounts are more than covered by simply buying meat when its reduced at Woolies.

WillBlack

How about we put some numbers on what "incredibly cheap" means. Perhaps it might help you find a useful way of cutting an alarming expenditure.

So, how much would you spend in the UK and how much in Aus each week on groceries (both food and all other supermarket stuff).

I have a very good idea of how much I spend because I keep receipts and account for every last cent even though groceries for 2 cost me only 2% of gross income. I find the act of accounting makes me more efficient with money.

WillBlack

I'd go further and say that cunning recipies will save more. Even better when combined with clever shopping.

iamthecreaturefromuranus

...and I would agree with every word of that.

iamthecreaturefromuranus

...and just to add to this. I now shop at one of the centers mentioned in the study, Warrila Grove. Here we have a Woolies in direct competition with Bush Meats and Mitchells Fruits.. probably the two largest independents in the entire region. My personal impression of how this has worked is that fruit and veg are cheaper in Mitchells... but of much poorer quality than Woolies and Bush meats have gone the other way and are more expensive and trying to compete on quality.

bcworld

That's generally the option that is available to me.....I buy chicken from the supermarket, but other meat from a small goods store or deli.....of which there are a few options, all typcially the same price or more expensive as the supermarkets but apparently better quality.

For an average basket of fruit & veg (rather than full price in one compared to special offers for selected items in another) the prices between supermarket & small shops are very similar.

Cape Blue

I am not sure you are comparing apples with apples there.

The Aus number ($1,183) appears to be for Feb 09 whereas the UK number is for April 08.http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/[email protected]?OpenDocument

The UK says "Median", the Aus site says "Average" and whilst the somewhat poor notes don't say what sort of average they are talking about, it appears it might be the Mean.

I've not been able to find any data about the relationship between the mean and the median for 2008 data, but this is for 2004/05 and seems to indicate the median is around 13% lower than the "average"
http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/[email protected]?OpenDocument
Quite impressive that the Aus "average" has gone up from $40,585 in 04/05 to $61,521 only 4 years later - a 50% wage increase!

Of course, comparing like for like is pretty difficult with currency movements, the Aus$ has strengthened around 10% against the GBP since the beginning of the year, we'd probably have to find some sort of PPP figure to show what any difference actually means in real income buying power.

asprilla

There are obviously regional and demographic factors at play here too. People shopping in inner Melbourne and Sydney, by and large, won't be able to get these kind of cheap deals. But I suspect that even in the big cities, the burbs will have fruit & veg shops selling bargains in comparison to the majors.

ABCDiamond & I are assuming that the kind of discounts available in SEQ, are also available across Australia.... perhaps we're wrong.

ABCDiamond

OK, Illawarra, Yes, I have come across Illawarra before, just about the most expensive place outside Melbourne..

iamthecreaturefromuranus

There goes that perception thing not being the same as reality again..

http://www.ausfoodnews.com.au/2009/0...shut-down.html

QUOTE "Woolworths had the cheapest total basket of groceries in 39 out of the 61 GroceryChoice regions, according to the latest figures released today (May 1).Coles was the cheapest in 18 regions and the independent supermarkets in the other four, consumer group Choice reported.

The cost of the basket is calculated using statistical analysis of the prices of hundreds of groceries from supermarkets around the country, with the cheapest in each state varying from $161 to $171.

The contrast was starkest between Woolworths in Inner West Melbourne area where the cheapest total basket cost $161.20 and the same chain in the North Western Tasmania area where the dearest total basket cost $171.07.

So the cheapest average basket is in Melbourne.

ABCDiamond

From ABS 6302.0 Average Weekly Earnings, Australia May 2008
Earnings ; Persons ; Full Time ; Adult ; Total earnings ;
The 6302.0 - Average Weekly Earnings, Australia, Feb 2009 edition of that series show revised and updated figures as:
I agree that accurate comparisons are indeed very difficult.
It even comes down to actual location in each country.
For example in Aug 2008 the individual State average wages varied from $1,113.10 pw in one State to $1,515.20 pw in another State.
Similar changes would be appropriate for say London and Northumberland for example.
The only real accurate comparison could be done on an individual basis.

All that these averages do is to give us an idea to work from.