Originally Posted by arkon

Tell me about it! I thought food was supposed to be cheap here and it seems to be rising astronomically. When we arrived nearly a year ago the weekly shop for 2 of us was between $120-$140 depending on weather it was a bog roll and dog food week or not. NOW a year latter that same shopping bill is a minimum of $220 and sometimes as high as $280 thats some jump and now I'm having to cut out some items like the half ton of chocolate.

And I'm afraid regardless of all the Australian supermarkets are great posts you hear its a big pile of twaddle. The UK ones are so superior there on another planet. My single biggest gripe is the Australian "one in front" policy which means 1 hour in front!!! My local woolworths, Big W and coles all have 12 or more checkouts with a maximum of 3 ever manned, Sometimes it takes me longer to get out of the shop than it did to do the shopping!

Originally Posted by rab

Sorry I gotta quote you right back OzTennis

Australian supermarkets HAVE tried ready meals and their clientele didn't want them in sufficient quantities so they don't bother much - apparently it's something to do with eating out more and cheaply in restaurants, being able to get fresher ingredients to do your own cooking, the popularity of barbies, the popularity of many different ethnic takeaways and the generally slightly slower pace of life which means many people aren't as 'time starved' as their Tesco loving counterparts.

Good answer but all we want is the occasional "ready meal", can't say I used them all the time in UK but once a week or fortnight was nice - good value and good quality generally. So I'm correct then, you can't buy ready meals here. Especially Sainsbury's Thai curries. I miss those so much.

Cheap petrol ahem, I got some cheap fuel at Asda last week for over $2.10 a litre which admittedly was cheaper than the garages were offering! Coles and Safeway give 4 cents a litre off at a linked garage if you bill is over a certain figure.

A linked garage is no good to me and to most others here. In UK you get a petrol station on site at many supermarkets. I get the fuel then catch up with the wife inside the store ... easy. So I think I am correct on that one.

Alcohol is sold in a separate section - different country, different laws

Yes was in Hall's Gap, VIC at the weekend and that was the case. In SA you can't get a bottle of wine to have with your tea for love nor money; you have to make a trip to a completely different shop.

Speedy checkouts? It must be a while since you were last in Tesco, Asda or Morrison's. Our last 3 visits to each of these were anything but speedy at the checkout. And so many people pay by plastic these days it adds to your wait.

I was in a number of Tesco stores in March and April this year (also Sainsbury's and Asda). We will have to differ on this one. I think unmanned tills is a huge problem everywhere. I have more than once walked out of supermarkets in SA because of queue length at tills.

Self scan checkouts. You've got me on that one, the supermarkets I go to (in Melbourne when over) didn't have these!

Tesco Horwich had these this year and I think they are spreading widely in UK - totally quick, totally (perceivably) accurate and totally electronic, excellent service and if they are slow you blame yourself!

Go to the Queen Victoria Market in Melbourne or the many farmers markets I have been to in Melbourne and it cures you of wanting supermarket quality produce!

I shop at Willunga Farmers' Market (SA) most Saturday mornings but you have to admit Saturday mornings only come round once a week! In UK many supermarkets open 24 hours. I have not found any 24 hour stores in SA.

All in all then I think we must agree that the supermarkets are inferior here. No-one is comparing fuel schemes, farmers' markets, family barbecues, lifestyle etc, that stuff is irrelevant; the OP asked about supermarkets. All I am saying is that on store service and facilities, opening hours, products and convenience the shops are better back home than here.

Try Mclaren Vale Bi-Lo sometime - I despair of that place and have no substitute within about 10 kms!

Rab (got nothing better to do than argue about bloody shops :) )

Originally Posted by lawlaw

Thanks, any particular recommendations and are they better or equal value than supermarkets?

Ta

Originally Posted by Centurion

I really dont know where some people are shopping but frankly the range of foods on sale in Australia is better than the UK in my opinion. Perhaps some people meant to say that some of the brands they are not familiar with is not stocked perhaps ?

Tesco and other large chains managed to drive out of business most local shops in the UK. I wont even go into the ethics of that company which are at best, dubious. At least here in Australia I can still go to my butcher, baker and grocers, be on first name terms and shop the old fashioned really nice way when the mood takes me.

The local markets here are of course fantastic and the availibility of "craft foods" and homemade fares is great.

Not everyone wants prepackaged ready meals. I certainly dont especially when the price of eating out is so cheap. Humm - let me think nuked fake rubbish pretend thai chicken or go to the thai place round the corner and have freshly cooked food. If anyone is that desperate have you not noticed the frozen section brimming with processed foods just waiting to be dinged.

Australia is different and caters for the Australian market which I dont find odd curiously.

If you ask any kid who has never tried coffee to drink it they will all say "yuk". Later in life most people cant function without it. Its an acquired taste and familiarity. Same with Australian foods and the way to shop. If you accept it then you may just find that you like it after a while, in fact you may just prefer it :)

Originally Posted by OzTennis

Australia is ahead with EFTPOS BTW.

OzTennis :)

Originally Posted by Britishaussie

Fantastic post, couldn't have put it better myself. Large UK supermarkets have us all by the b****x, anyone seen the news lately about the farmers making a stand by pouring away all their milk because they are only making a penny in profit while the supermarkets who buy their milk are making up to a pound.

Originally Posted by arkon

You keep banging on about EFTPOS and I don't see whats so different, I always used to pay with switch back home and found it just if not as easy as EFTPOS, AND I don't have to remember the pin, just put my cross on the dotted line. Also EFTPOS is not any faster than switch or credit card.

Originally Posted by arkon

You keep banging on about EFTPOS and I don't see whats so different, I always used to pay with switch back home and found it just if not as easy as EFTPOS, AND I don't have to remember the pin, just put my cross on the dotted line. Also EFTPOS is not any faster than switch or credit card.

Originally Posted by arkon

You keep banging on about EFTPOS and I don't see whats so different, I always used to pay with switch back home and found it just if not as easy as EFTPOS, AND I don't have to remember the pin, just put my cross on the dotted line. Also EFTPOS is not any faster than switch or credit card.

Originally Posted by Flying Banana

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/3594908.stm









And yet another thing you get at Tescos you cant find at Woolies/Coles.....



























http://static.flickr.com/27/59340390_42ae5c6ec5_o.jpg

:D ;) :D

Originally Posted by Britishaussie

Fantastic post, couldn't have put it better myself. Large UK supermarkets have us all by the b****x, anyone seen the news lately about the farmers making a stand by pouring away all their milk because they are only making a penny in profit while the supermarkets who buy their milk are making up to a pound.