Ransi

I love the supermarkets over here, especially the independantly owned ones, guarenteed freshness and most fresh produce comes from growers markets.
I find shopping here to be more cheaper than the UK and the food tastier.

Eastend Girl

I totally agree - you're bound to miss what you have now when you first get here but you get used to it in time. I think also it depends where you live, I find the fresh produce is much better in NSW than it is in Queensland, they seem to have a lot more choice and better quality down there (in my opinion)

There are also shops that sell English sweets, drinks, various foods but you do pay through the nose for it and you should check the sell by dates!

PoppetUK

Been here 8/9 months now. Hated supermarkets in the begining but the fantastic UK supermarkets are a distant memory now. I am sure if we head back I will remember them again and miss them.

kezzabird

Some of the supermarkets are terrible. But we are lucky to have a fabulous new Woolworths and a lovely big Coles that sell most stuff, its just getting used to where stuff is. Some times its not in a logical order. And like its been mentioned on here by some one else there is a lovely butchers right outside coles with a wonderful selection and very reasonable.

NKSK version 2

I hate myself for joining in on a thread about supermarkets but couldn't resist....

There really are a few rose-tinted specs here.

Supermarkets should not be an important factor in migration but to pretend that the Aussie ones are anything on a par to the UK ones (or better because they are 'different') is just plain wrong IMO.

Organic produce - hardly any in supermarkets here and still expensive if it does occur. In the UK, price difference is relatively small and they have an excellent range.

Range of products here - poor. Prices on many, many things - I hesitate to say all things - higher.

Foods with colourings and artifical additives - many here. In the UK getting less and less and seem to be only in cheapo brands if at all.

Been here two and a half years and I thought supermarkets and food shopping generally was crap when I first arrived. And I still think it's crap now. Having lived through the 80s and most of the 90s in the UK, I never thought the day would come when I would sing the praises of UK supermarkets.

kevinbloomfield

Totally agree, anyone who says there is a larger choice here is living in dream land, there may be a wider choice of shops to shop in but they all sell the same small range.
Coles and Woolies own a large proportion of the retail space, they just don't call all of their shops Woolies or Coles.
Don't get me wrong, I love living here and don't plan on going back to the UK but the shops are shite.

Remember a few years ago when the UK was a 'rip off' society? Well it's alive and well here and hopefully sooner or later we will stop being ripped off and the consumer will see through the greedy retailers.

BadgeIsBack

To be fair, noone ever really says they are as good, they just like what they find and are not too effected by them, or have adjusted. There is a massive difference, some supermarkets here do seem better than others and it depends on area too.

I find it sad when the 'rose tinted' or ''delusional'' comments are wheeled out - the only people that say these are the ones who miss it the most - alot of other people have adjusted or am not truly bothered.

For the record, my experience is that I never bought any of all this variety in UK supermarkets. In fact I was distracted by all the fluff and only wanted to zero in on all the staples.

Now I have more money I would probably appreciate if I lived in the UK and had the variety on tap, and now might even enjoy and celebrate it, but as I don't, I don't miss it. I'd rather have more variety in housing stock, lifestyle etc.

BadgeIsBack

Like I said, never heard anyone say anything like it(!) They say they have found ways of shopping here, to mitigate it, and like some of the things they *have* found.

I remember it well! And hopefully it will happen. I'd be more interested in cheaper airfares, quality cars and electrical goods. Food can wait. I'd also say to people - grow your own!

BadgeIsBack

That's how I see it - only I never hated any supermarket here and don't miss them there. It's just enjoying what is on offer in any location or market .

Hutch

Sorry, but that's horseshit. Slapping an organic sticker is a big profit winner for the UK supermarkets. To quote this article, "UK supermarkets are taking advantage of the high demand for organic food by charging grossly inflated prices, according to a survey by the University of the West of England. Customers shopping at UK's big-name retailers are being asked to pay 60 to 70 percent more for organic meat, vegetables and other foods than for the ordinary equivalents."

True. EU regulation, seen as a huge issue with many little Englanders has actually helped minimise the over-use of dubious E numbers, additives etc. Here many foods seem stuffed with chemicals of one kind or another.

You know - with the usual caveats about people's opinions - I'd really like to have some hard facts on exactly what people think is so crap about them compared to the UK equivalent. I simply don't buy the argument about choice - we have several massive supermarkets near here, easily as well stocked as any I used in the UK. Price - my fortnightly shop is cheaper - I suppose if you (general 'you' - not you specifically) subsisted on ready meals then you would complain. Non-food items? Oh please - if I want a fridge I'd rather go to a specialist and get better advice/range. What else is there to complain about - only major difference I've found is that they tend to put the bread in the aisle down from the fruit and veg, rather than down the end ... I've got over that deal-breaker.

Urno

The only difference you need to know about Aussie supermarkets is that the people at the checkout pack your bags for you!!

However, the conveyor belts you put your items on are about an inch long..

And they put about two items in each plastic bag

MikeStanton

Whether you buy the argument about choice is irrelevant. Just scan this thread, it is clear tht most people see Oz supermarkets as inferior. The fact remains that UK supermarkets provide far more choice than Oz; not just within its stores, but its type of stores. So, whether it's Tescos, Waitrose, M&S - Oz can't compete.

And as for the quality? Oz chicken is totally tasteless. And Oz bacon is just fat injected with water. As for the so-called independents, few of them sell anything apart from standard fare, but at greatly inflated prices. And what's that lovely Oz term, guaranteed to get the digestive juices going? Oh yes, "manufactured meats". Yum.

As for anti-competitive behaviour, I remember how un-Australian that aptly-named Dick Smith said it was for Aldi to open in Oz. Now that is crap.

BadgeIsBack

I think there is less choice.

But does it bother you, that's the issue. And does it make life unbearable...

The Crow

I have a far better choice of supermarkets, delis, butchers, fishmongers, greengrocers, asian/polish minimarkets within a 15 min drive. Yes, I have the time to shop around - but, for me, I'm in heaven. Absolutely no complaints. Opening hours are no problem either - a couple are 24 hour. And the check-out girls at my local Safeway are genuinely nice and even think India is adorable (that's what you call Customer Service )

But, obviously, this is not the same everywhere.

lesleys

UK supermarkets have a much bigger choice of packaging - and so much of it If stuff was all sold unwrapped how much real choice would you have in the uk?