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The Price of Food in Australia

The Price of Food in Australia

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Old Jan 18th 2005, 6:41 am
  #1  
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Default The Price of Food in Australia

The Price of Food in Australia

There have been a few threads on the cost of living recently, and some comparisons of weekly food bills; ranging from $100pw to almost $500pw

Obviously there are some differences, size of family, individual appetites, choice of shops, and even availability of shops etc.

Those of us here in Australia, and those that have been here but have gone back, can all give their own individual ideas of costs based on their own individual experiences.

If we start with breakfast: 2 weet-bix and a bit of milk, may be OK for some people, but others may want that PLUS a couple of eggs and a sausage, and of course a coffee or two, plus orange juice.

Lunch: someone may be happy with a couple of Cheese rolls with tomato, whilst someone else fancies a roast chicken and salad wrap.

Dinner: Maybe a 500gm steak with chips and peas, or Spagetti Bolognese, or Butter Chicken Curry, or a lobster with salad.

It is all going to be different, and at different prices.

I've heard it said that the family who spends only $100 can't be eating right, and for the family who spends 3 times that must be overeating. Neither comment may actually be accurate.

I can go to our local shops, and buy exactly the same things, in different shops, yet pay almost TWICE the price in one than the other, if I pick the wrong shop.

If anyone in the UK really wants to know the weekly cost, maybe they can post a breakdown of an example weekly food consumption list, and some others can state what some of those items actually cost.

Eg: Breakfast for the first example: Weet-Bix: box of 84 biscuits for $4.98 = 12c per 2 biscuit serve, add 100ml of milk at $1.90 per 2 litres thats another 10c. So that breakfast is 22c. But stick a couple of sausages (75c) at $3 for a pack 8 (1kg), and 2 eggs (33c) at $2 for 12, then breakfast becomes $1.30, not 22c.

Dinner: say Chicken and Chips: 1 Whole ready roasted chicken, who wants to use the oven in summer $8, and 1 kgs potatos to make some chips at between 50c and $3 per kg, say $1.50. So this dinner would cost $9.50 for a family of 3 or 4. Say $3 each. I'm sure someone could come up with an average Dinner costing $6 per head or more, without much trying.

That's how easy it is to get a major difference between avergae weekly costs. And that's without the differences between shop prices.

Just some food for thought
 
Old Jan 18th 2005, 7:59 am
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Default Re: The Price of Food in Australia

I did a shopping comparison last year, using one of the big aus supermarkets online shopping (cant remember which it was!), and putting in the same as a weeks shop at asda it worked out about $7 more expensive in aus (whats that in £? about £3?)
spose it depends on you.....looking at the choices on the aus site, i probably would have spent about $10-15 more because of the range of fish!
here in the uk, we get finny haddock from the market and its about £9/lb!!!

good post ABCD!

sue
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Old Jan 18th 2005, 8:04 am
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Default Re: The Price of Food in Australia

Originally Posted by ABCDiamond
The Price of Food in Australia

There have been a few threads on the cost of living recently, and some comparisons of weekly food bills; ranging from $100pw to almost $500pw

Obviously there are some differences, size of family, individual appetites, choice of shops, and even availability of shops etc.

Those of us here in Australia, and those that have been here but have gone back, can all give their own individual ideas of costs based on their own individual experiences.

If we start with breakfast: 2 weet-bix and a bit of milk, may be OK for some people, but others may want that PLUS a couple of eggs and a sausage, and of course a coffee or two, plus orange juice.

Lunch: someone may be happy with a couple of Cheese rolls with tomato, whilst someone else fancies a roast chicken and salad wrap.

Dinner: Maybe a 500gm steak with chips and peas, or Spagetti Bolognese, or Butter Chicken Curry, or a lobster with salad.

It is all going to be different, and at different prices.

I've heard it said that the family who spends only $100 can't be eating right, and for the family who spends 3 times that must be overeating. Neither comment may actually be accurate.

I can go to our local shops, and buy exactly the same things, in different shops, yet pay almost TWICE the price in one than the other, if I pick the wrong shop.

If anyone in the UK really wants to know the weekly cost, maybe they can post a breakdown of an example weekly food consumption list, and some others can state what some of those items actually cost.

Eg: Breakfast for the first example: Weet-Bix: box of 84 biscuits for $4.98 = 12c per 2 biscuit serve, add 100ml of milk at $1.90 per 2 litres thats another 10c. So that breakfast is 22c. But stick a couple of sausages (75c) at $3 for a pack 8 (1kg), and 2 eggs (33c) at $2 for 12, then breakfast becomes $1.30, not 22c.

Dinner: say Chicken and Chips: 1 Whole ready roasted chicken, who wants to use the oven in summer $8, and 1 kgs potatos to make some chips at between 50c and $3 per kg, say $1.50. So this dinner would cost $9.50 for a family of 3 or 4. Say $3 each. I'm sure someone could come up with an average Dinner costing $6 per head or more, without much trying.

That's how easy it is to get a major difference between avergae weekly costs. And that's without the differences between shop prices.

Just some food for thought
Now this is a useful thread!
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Old Jan 18th 2005, 8:26 am
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Default Re: The Price of Food in Australia

great post... deffo food for thought!!!
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Old Jan 19th 2005, 9:16 am
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Default Re: The Price of Food in Australia

On a slightly different tack, try shopping at the markets rather than Coles etc. Ok it is not as convenient but in Melbourne we went to the big market (Queen Victoria I think on the NE corner of the CBD) but ended up shopping there every few days. For example, we bought 2 steaks that were so big they wouldn't fit on a dinner plate (32lb ish I would guess) for $6. And they were the best steaks we have ever had. Sydney's market in the Chinese Quarter (Flea Market?) was good too. You may still want to go to Coles for tins etc but you could save a fortune using the markets.
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Old Jan 19th 2005, 9:31 am
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Default Re: The Price of Food in Australia

Precisely ABCD!
You only have to look at the price difference between diifferent brands for the 'same' item to know that there can be huge variation - and you don't need to be in Oz to realise this of course. 4 tins of Heinz beans v 4 tins of Woolies own....huge difference. The fact that we all have different expenditure isn't surprising.

Some people's weekly shop includes 3 meals a day, 7 days a week - others are only shopping for 2 meals a day, 7 days a week, buying lunches at work, and eating out a couple of times at the weekend...it's all money on food - just not in the supermarket. I suspect some people are omitting this non-supermarket expenditure in their weekly food costs.
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Old Jan 19th 2005, 9:38 am
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Default Re: The Price of Food in Australia

Originally Posted by ABCDiamond
The Price of Food in Australia

There have been a few threads on the cost of living recently, and some comparisons of weekly food bills; ranging from $100pw to almost $500pw

Obviously there are some differences, size of family, individual appetites, choice of shops, and even availability of shops etc.

Those of us here in Australia, and those that have been here but have gone back, can all give their own individual ideas of costs based on their own individual experiences.

If we start with breakfast: 2 weet-bix and a bit of milk, may be OK for some people, but others may want that PLUS a couple of eggs and a sausage, and of course a coffee or two, plus orange juice.

Lunch: someone may be happy with a couple of Cheese rolls with tomato, whilst someone else fancies a roast chicken and salad wrap.

Dinner: Maybe a 500gm steak with chips and peas, or Spagetti Bolognese, or Butter Chicken Curry, or a lobster with salad.

It is all going to be different, and at different prices.

I've heard it said that the family who spends only $100 can't be eating right, and for the family who spends 3 times that must be overeating. Neither comment may actually be accurate.

I can go to our local shops, and buy exactly the same things, in different shops, yet pay almost TWICE the price in one than the other, if I pick the wrong shop.

If anyone in the UK really wants to know the weekly cost, maybe they can post a breakdown of an example weekly food consumption list, and some others can state what some of those items actually cost.

Eg: Breakfast for the first example: Weet-Bix: box of 84 biscuits for $4.98 = 12c per 2 biscuit serve, add 100ml of milk at $1.90 per 2 litres thats another 10c. So that breakfast is 22c. But stick a couple of sausages (75c) at $3 for a pack 8 (1kg), and 2 eggs (33c) at $2 for 12, then breakfast becomes $1.30, not 22c.

Dinner: say Chicken and Chips: 1 Whole ready roasted chicken, who wants to use the oven in summer $8, and 1 kgs potatos to make some chips at between 50c and $3 per kg, say $1.50. So this dinner would cost $9.50 for a family of 3 or 4. Say $3 each. I'm sure someone could come up with an average Dinner costing $6 per head or more, without much trying.

That's how easy it is to get a major difference between avergae weekly costs. And that's without the differences between shop prices.

Just some food for thought
Great thread ABC.

You are right in saying that you can get things much cheaper in certain supermarkets. It depends on what the shop has on offer that week. This week in Bilo Nescafe Gold Blend 200g is $7.99 - it is usually around 11 dollars something in Coles. So, that would be a good saving. 525g Kelloggs Cornflakes is $2.45 and 200g bock of Nestle chocolate $1.99 in Action saving 88c and $1.37.

There are specials on every week in different supermarkets and they issue leaflets once a week showing what goods aren on sale. If you have got time to go to the all well and good. I usually do most of my shopping in Coles and I buy my fruit and veg from the greengrocers at Robina town centre as it is much cheaper.
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Old Jan 19th 2005, 9:47 am
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Default Re: The Price of Food in Australia

Originally Posted by JerrySpringer
Precisely ABCD!
You only have to look at the price difference between diifferent brands for the 'same' item to know that there can be huge variation - and you don't need to be in Oz to realise this of course. 4 tins of Heinz beans v 4 tins of Woolies own....huge difference. The fact that we all have different expenditure isn't surprising.

Some people's weekly shop includes 3 meals a day, 7 days a week - others are only shopping for 2 meals a day, 7 days a week, buying lunches at work, and eating out a couple of times at the weekend...it's all money on food - just not in the supermarket. I suspect some people are omitting this non-supermarket expenditure in their weekly food costs.
And then we get on to the eating out costs

Steak and Chips at the local "hotel" $6, or Steak and Chips at "Sizzlers" $30.
You can eat out every day for (7x$6) $42 or (7x30) $210 per head per week. Or even higher of course.
 
Old Jan 19th 2005, 10:10 am
  #9  
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Default Re: The Price of Food in Australia

Originally Posted by ABCDiamond
The Price of Food in Australia

There have been a few threads on the cost of living recently, and some comparisons of weekly food bills; ranging from $100pw to almost $500pw

Obviously there are some differences, size of family, individual appetites, choice of shops, and even availability of shops etc.

Those of us here in Australia, and those that have been here but have gone back, can all give their own individual ideas of costs based on their own individual experiences.

If we start with breakfast: 2 weet-bix and a bit of milk, may be OK for some people, but others may want that PLUS a couple of eggs and a sausage, and of course a coffee or two, plus orange juice.

Lunch: someone may be happy with a couple of Cheese rolls with tomato, whilst someone else fancies a roast chicken and salad wrap.

Dinner: Maybe a 500gm steak with chips and peas, or Spagetti Bolognese, or Butter Chicken Curry, or a lobster with salad.

It is all going to be different, and at different prices.

I've heard it said that the family who spends only $100 can't be eating right, and for the family who spends 3 times that must be overeating. Neither comment may actually be accurate.

I can go to our local shops, and buy exactly the same things, in different shops, yet pay almost TWICE the price in one than the other, if I pick the wrong shop.

If anyone in the UK really wants to know the weekly cost, maybe they can post a breakdown of an example weekly food consumption list, and some others can state what some of those items actually cost.

Eg: Breakfast for the first example: Weet-Bix: box of 84 biscuits for $4.98 = 12c per 2 biscuit serve, add 100ml of milk at $1.90 per 2 litres thats another 10c. So that breakfast is 22c. But stick a couple of sausages (75c) at $3 for a pack 8 (1kg), and 2 eggs (33c) at $2 for 12, then breakfast becomes $1.30, not 22c.

Dinner: say Chicken and Chips: 1 Whole ready roasted chicken, who wants to use the oven in summer $8, and 1 kgs potatos to make some chips at between 50c and $3 per kg, say $1.50. So this dinner would cost $9.50 for a family of 3 or 4. Say $3 each. I'm sure someone could come up with an average Dinner costing $6 per head or more, without much trying.

That's how easy it is to get a major difference between avergae weekly costs. And that's without the differences between shop prices.

Just some food for thought
Good thread ABCD.

Once again it shows it's all about different experience, taste and perspective. There's never a right or wrong answer. Just a difference of opinion
 
Old Jan 19th 2005, 12:34 pm
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Default Re: The Price of Food in Australia

Excellent thread ABCD.

So, what we realy need is someone to put together a "standard" shopping basket of goods that we can then all go out and price up so we can get an idea of costs here and in the UK.

So to kick off here are some basic rules:

For any of the items listed please price up a name brand. If there is a home brand available get the price of both the named and homebrand item.

If an item is on special (or discount for multi-buy), list the special price/conditions and the saving.

Price the items at one supermarket - let's face it, most of us do not have the time or inclination to shop in several just to get all the current specials.

No organic stuff, unless you want to price the non-organic too.

Now for some standard items:

Here are some to start us off:

White sliced bread (650 - 700g)
Full fat milk (2 litres)
Toothpaste (adult) - McCleans/Colgate or equivalent (150g)
4 pack, 2 ply toilet roll
Washing powder for front loader - OMO,Persil etc (1 Kg)
1 dozen eggs (not free range)
Tin of baked beans - Heinz (420g)
Rump steak (1 Kg)
Chicken breasts (1 Kg)
Smoked bacon (1 Kg)
Coke (2 litre)
bag of frozen peas (1 Kg)
Tub of strawberry yoghurt (1 Kg)
Fresh orange juice (1 litre)

I was going to put Marmite/Vegemite but previous experience tells me that this will open up a whole different debate so we will just leave it.

Please add your suggestions. Assuming the thread doesn't get dragged off topic so far that I lose the will to live, I will stick it all in a list in a printable form in a day or so and people can start doing the research.

Cheers,

DagBoy
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Old Jan 19th 2005, 12:42 pm
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Default Re: The Price of Food in Australia

Do you have the problem of BSE (mad cow disease) over there?
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Old Jan 19th 2005, 12:45 pm
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Default Re: The Price of Food in Australia

Originally Posted by DagBoy
Excellent thread ABCD.

So, what we realy need is someone to put together a "standard" shopping basket of goods that we can then all go out and price up so we can get an idea of costs here and in the UK.

So to kick off here are some basic rules:

For any of the items listed please price up a name brand. If there is a home brand available get the price of both the named and homebrand item.

If an item is on special (or discount for multi-buy), list the special price/conditions and the saving.

Price the items at one supermarket - let's face it, most of us do not have the time or inclination to shop in several just to get all the current specials.

No organic stuff, unless you want to price the non-organic too.

Now for some standard items:

Here are some to start us off:

White sliced bread (650 - 700g)
Full fat milk (2 litres)
Toothpaste (adult) - McCleans/Colgate or equivalent (150g)
4 pack, 2 ply toilet roll
Washing powder for front loader - OMO,Persil etc (1 Kg)
1 dozen eggs (not free range)
Tin of baked beans - Heinz (420g)
Rump steak (1 Kg)
Chicken breasts (1 Kg)
Smoked bacon (1 Kg)
Coke (2 litre)
bag of frozen peas (1 Kg)
Tub of strawberry yoghurt (1 Kg)
Fresh orange juice (1 litre)

I was going to put Marmite/Vegemite but previous experience tells me that this will open up a whole different debate so we will just leave it.

Please add your suggestions. Assuming the thread doesn't get dragged off topic so far that I lose the will to live, I will stick it all in a list in a printable form in a day or so and people can start doing the research.

Cheers,

DagBoy

Here we go ....
Please remember this is my local "Small" Tesco and i live in Surrey/Hampshire Border Not far enough from London to have cheap housing.

White sliced bread (650 - 700g) 75pence
Full fat milk (2 litres) £1.44
Toothpaste (adult) - McCleans/Colgate or equivalent (150g) £1.69
4 pack, 2 ply toilet roll (could only find special offer ones) 99p
Washing powder for front loader - OMO,Persil etc (1 Kg) £2.60
1 dozen eggs (not free range) 65p
Tin of baked beans - Heinz (420g) 28p
Rump steak (1 Kg) ???????
Chicken breasts (1 Kg) ???????
Smoked bacon (1 Kg) ???????
Coke (2 litre) £1.69
bag of frozen peas (1 Kg) £1.70
Tub of strawberry yoghurt (1 Kg) £1.88
Fresh orange juice (1 litre) 99p (special i think at the mo)

Hope this helps ?
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Old Jan 19th 2005, 12:49 pm
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Default Re: The Price of Food in Australia

Originally Posted by DagBoy
Excellent thread ABCD.

So, what we realy need is someone to put together a "standard" shopping basket of goods that we can then all go out and price up so we can get an idea of costs here and in the UK.

So to kick off here are some basic rules:

For any of the items listed please price up a name brand. If there is a home brand available get the price of both the named and homebrand item.

If an item is on special (or discount for multi-buy), list the special price/conditions and the saving.

Price the items at one supermarket - let's face it, most of us do not have the time or inclination to shop in several just to get all the current specials.

No organic stuff, unless you want to price the non-organic too.

Now for some standard items:

Here are some to start us off:

White sliced bread (650 - 700g)
Full fat milk (2 litres)
Toothpaste (adult) - McCleans/Colgate or equivalent (150g)
4 pack, 2 ply toilet roll
Washing powder for front loader - OMO,Persil etc (1 Kg)
1 dozen eggs (not free range)
Tin of baked beans - Heinz (420g)
Rump steak (1 Kg)
Chicken breasts (1 Kg)
Smoked bacon (1 Kg)
Coke (2 litre)
bag of frozen peas (1 Kg)
Tub of strawberry yoghurt (1 Kg)
Fresh orange juice (1 litre)

I was going to put Marmite/Vegemite but previous experience tells me that this will open up a whole different debate so we will just leave it.

Please add your suggestions. Assuming the thread doesn't get dragged off topic so far that I lose the will to live, I will stick it all in a list in a printable form in a day or so and people can start doing the research.

Cheers,

DagBoy
You missed out Lettuce !! What an error !
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Old Jan 19th 2005, 12:50 pm
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Default Re: The Price of Food in Australia

Originally Posted by Curls
Do you have the problem of BSE (mad cow disease) over there?

No, the Japanese are actually importing Aussie beef, because its the only beef they trust now. Canada and US have BSE to a tiny extent,but you know how hysteria works.

Cheers,
JTL
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Old Jan 19th 2005, 12:55 pm
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Default Re: The Price of Food in Australia

Originally Posted by Curls
Do you have the problem of mad cow disease over there?
Yes, but don't tell her I said so
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