ABCDiamond

Their later edition, June 1st http://www.ausfoodnews.com.au/2009/0...australia.html shows the cheapest average basket is in Sydney’s south west...
However, the bit about Melbourne is interesting, as I have often read on here that people in Melbourne complain about the cost down there compared to other areas. It seems they may be wrong after all ? Or maybe the local shops are more expensive and they don't use the cheaper supermarkets (in Melbourne) ?

asprilla

I really love the way you selectively quoted from that article. Anyone with a genuine interest in this subject should visit the website, then read the Choice article to get a properly informed picture.

Regardless, there is a major problem with average basket analysis, as it cannot predict consumer behaviour. The assumptions it uses are far too simplistic. It simply can't cope with consumers who purchase products whilst on sale, and consumers who split their basket between 2 or more stores. How do I know this ? Analysing this information was my job before I moved to Aus.

Really, the average basket sales info is only useful for folks who
a) do all their shopping at one store, and
b) simply buy what they want, when they want it - regardless of sale items.

If you are a person who looks at the specials catalogues and/or shops in more than one place - you can ignore the $basket average.

MartinLuther

I don't find it outrageously expensive down here and I didn't find it cheaper in the UK when I went back. Some things were cheaper in the UK some things were cheaper here. No complaints from me.

bcworld

I did live in SEQ for 5 years.......in a couple areas, and none of the local fruit & veg shops I went to were appreciably cheaper than the supermarkets - I felt they often offered better quality produce for the same price though. The one semi cheap one I used to go to in Morningside had turned into a block of apartments when I moved back into the area.

I do know exactly the shops ABCD is referring to, I can picture a few of them in the Redlands as I remember driving past them. Yes they are very cheap, no I haven't seen anything like that around here or in any of the areas of Brisbane I lived in.

I'm not complaining about Melbourne prices BTW, I find I get more bang for my buck in almost every way here than Brisbane.

Deancm

I find things outrageously expensive in Melb too. I also found it substantially cheaper in the UK (London) for groceries and clothing.

iamthecreaturefromuranus

Are you expecting me to put the entire bloody article in here?. I posted the link for people to read for themselves. The bit I quoted said that Melbourne, at that time was the cheapest, and now its Sydney... you suggested that Melbourne and Sydney would be the most expensive... and there not.

Hutch

Can't believe I'm saying this, because let's face it, I love a good argument about lettuces as much as the next forum whore. But. It's all relative isn't it. It's all completely and utterly relative.

It depends on how much you earn, how much you're taxed, where you shop, whether you favour name brands or own brands, whether you bother with coupons, bogof's and the reduced section, where you live, whether you live in a large conurbation or a one dingo village, what your perceptions of good food are, whether you favour ready made produce or fresh goods, whether you shop in supermarkets or independents or market stalls, what the level of competition in your area is like, what the economic conditions in your area are like, what effect the drought is having on your chosen shop's suppliers, how aggressively the head office of your chosen shop is targetting the area your shop is in ... etc etc etc...

One thing is absolutely certain. Any comparison between the cost of goods in Australian shops and the cost of goods in UK shops is totally and utterly pointless for reasons so obvious that if you need them explaining to you, then your mental capabilities are so limited, a career presenting breakfast television probably awaits you.

iamthecreaturefromuranus

You're right. I don't have an issue with the cost of items anywhere... my only issue is that people come on and make out that if you buy your lettuce from the guy on the corner, not only will he be 90% cheaper than all the supermarkets but he will throw in a free Bentley to boot.

asprilla

I was talking about people in inner cities not being able to access heavily discounted fruit, veg and meat.

You were the one talking about average basket values, which really is another kettle of fish altogether.

iamthecreaturefromuranus

Tell you what though, after the recent exchange rate movements, try converting some of the prices back into UK pounds at a 2:1 ratio and some things do seem bloody expensive.

iamthecreaturefromuranus

I have a fish market nearby and they don't sell the fish in kettles..

...and its not cheap either.

MartinLuther

You forgot to mention the exchange rate as well

The number of Aus is more expensive than UK threads is inversely proportional to the number of $s you can get for a £.

The other cycle shows a peak during the UK Summer/Aus Winter and a trough during the opposite season as the price of vegetables change through the year.

kporte

I'm losing the will to live.

Having just come back from the UK, there is no question that groceries are cheaper.
I shop at local shops for my meat and veggies here. That is the way I like to shop and I enjoy shopping here for that very reason. It saves me a bit of cash compared to buying everything in Woolies, but not a huge amount, maybe 10% on my weekly shop?
For cheap clothes, nothing here compares to what you can get in Asda or Matalan, either in cost or quality. Tescos is cheap but poor quality.
Expensive, quality clothing, I found, was around the same cost.

It is an entirely pointless debate if you live here and don't want to go back but for people on the forum weighing things up, it is helpful to know that your shop is likely to be dearer here.

Other things are cheaper and on balance for me, I can not say which cost of living works out less. Seems around the same to me overall, but just my opinion.

ABCDiamond

I think we have conclusively concluded that "it all depends" is a pretty safe answer. It may be cheaper and it may not be. It definitely isn't certainly anything

ABCDiamond

Talking about the price of lettuce, I don't think I have mentioned it since my first post back here....

So.. how much are lettuces where everyone lives ?