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It can be hard to keep track of everyday household costs in Australia—and all of that soon adds up.

Even with discounted brands, a basic shop for everyday essentials will cost you more than ever before. That’s why here at the SDC, we’re always on the lookout for savings that can help you get the most bang for your buck.

Recently, an Australian man living in Germany took to the internet to express his surprise at the difference in price for a common household product, leading some Aussies at home to ask: are we being ripped off?

The man encountered the price discrepancy when he went shopping for Finish Ultimate Pro Dishwasher Tablets in Germany. He snapped a photo of a bag of 43 capsules priced at €8.99 (or $14.80 AUD).

Prices in Germany vs Australia. Image Credit: Reddit/@u/ratherZEF

'Australian living overseas here. Never realised how badly we get ripped off at the grocery store until I saw this,' the man wrote, posting the photo as proof.

Back home in Australia, the same Finish Ultimate Pro Dishwasher Tablets will set you back more than double the overseas price, at $54 full price at Coles and Woolworths. It speaks to a glaring difference between what Australians are paying in comparison to the rest of the world, and locals had a few theories.

'Tablets are a scam. That's over $1 per load whereas powder is about 3c per load and you can regulate how much powder you need and reduce for half loads,' one Redditor pointed out, while another said: 'You don't buy these from Woolies or Coles. Go to The Reject Shop or even ALDI or you are paying too much.'

Another echoed this suggestion: ‘A pack of 50 is $20 at The Reject Shop. Being in Australia isn't what is ripping us off. It's the corporate greed of Coles and Woolworths.’

‘The difference in price is staggering. It's in a long list of overpriced things in Australia because someone here is willing to pay for it,’ one user commented.

In response to the overseas Aussie shopper’s discovery, a Finish spokesperson explained that increased costs across their supply chain were the cause behind the rise in prices across their Australian ranges, not just dishwashing tablets.

'We understand this is a challenging time for many Australians. We remain committed to making sure we closely monitor costs and pricing to continue delivering the best value possible,' they said.

This comes after profit margins were reported to have spiked to 5.3 per cent at Coles and 5.9 per cent at Woolworths since the start of the pandemic.

It's easy for our wallets to be drained by the range of costly products pushed on us by supermarkets—that includes everything from common household items like dishwasher tablets to our very basic items, like bread and breakfast cereals.

It's more important than ever to be aware of the ways we can save on our regular shop, and that's why we here at the SDC want to help point you in the right direction for the best deals and products for your household.

Key Takeaways

• An Australian living in Germany noted a significant price difference in common supermarket items, such as Finish Ultimate Pro Dishwasher Tablets, calling out the inflated prices in Australia.
• He shared on Reddit that the same product, which costs €8.99 ($14.80 AUD) in Germany, costs $54 in Australian supermarkets such as Coles and Woolworths.
• A Finish spokesperson attributed the price rise to increased costs across the supply chain, assuring they are committed to closely monitoring costs and pricing to provide the best possible value.

To find out where you can pick up the best-discounted products, head to our Daily Deals forum.

How does this news make you feel? Do you think we are getting the short end of the stick here in Australia?

 

[KSS]

I think some people are just too quick to automatically blame the supermarkets and forget that the supermarket is the final link in a long supply chain that begins with the suppliers of the ingredients for a given product and ends with the person who puts that product on the shelf for sale. At every step in the process, there are costs and business needs a profit to be sustainable. Supermarkets are no different. No one likes to pay more for anything than they have to and that's why shopping around is so important.

AND FYI costs of delivering a product made in Poland and shipped and sold in Germany are a great deal less than shipping and selling that same product in Australia. The only time this is just not true is for digital goods such as software and yet Australians pay more than anyone else. Australians pay more for just about everything from dish washing tablets to medications!

Ultimately we have agency over our spending so it is our responsibility to decide where we spend our money and on what.

 

[IAN3005]

I think some people are just too quick to automatically blame the supermarkets and forget that the supermarket is the final link in a long supply chain that begins with the suppliers of the ingredients for a given product and ends with the person who puts that product on the shelf for sale. At every step in the process, there are costs and business needs a profit to be sustainable. Supermarkets are no different. No one likes to pay more for anything than they have to and that's why shopping around is so important.

AND FYI costs of delivering a product made in Poland and shipped and sold in Germany are a great deal less than shipping and selling that same product in Australia. The only time this is just not true is for digital goods such as software and yet Australians pay more than anyone else. Australians pay more for just about everything from dish washing tablets to medications!

Ultimately we have agency over our spending so it is our responsibility to decide where we spend our money and on what.

We're being ripped off blind.. the waste of time and product is incalculable right from the start of the process. I have extensive experience in this field... because it's "paid by hour, and not the job"