Do budget supermarkets even exist anymore? Expert compares Woolies, ALDI prices

As the cost of living continues to rise, many Australians are finding that their weekly grocery bills are taking up a larger portion of their budget.

The latest inflation data shows an alarming 9.2 per cent increase in the cost of supermarket items over the past year.

Money is a large part of our decisions when it comes to shopping, and although some of us have become savvy in our quest to save money, the question remains: where should Australians shop to get the most bang for their buck?


This is precisely what one expert set out to find when they decided to compare the prices of similar items from Woolworths and ALDI.

‘I used to just buy a lot at Woolworths online but now I try to go to ALDI a bit more. Partly to save money, partly to get a bit of variety from the standard Woolies items, partly to get my hands on some exciting special buys,’ Economist Jason Murphy said.

(Interesting SDC side note here: @Maddison Dwyer said she’s been doing the opposite lately since she found that Woolies’ prices are ‘pretty much the same’ as ALDI’s. Meanwhile, our editor @April Bradford admitted she’s completely stopped shopping at ALDI.)

‘I’ve got two little kids, and my grocery bills are definitely higher than they were back in the day. My partner and I used to drop $200 on a shop, now it’s often $300 or more.’

‘I’m not saying we’re trying to minimise what we spend. We could eat just rice and lentils and live a lot more cheaply. I am saying that if I can buy the things I want for less, I want to do that — including pecans, red meat, wasteful snack foods etc.’


Woolworths and ALDI prices as compared by an economist.jpg
ALDI items generally were more cheaper by a few cents compared to their Woolies counterparts. Image Credit: Seniors Discount Club


And so, James shared the results of a recent trip to his local ALDI, which revealed a total spend of $247.03.

Ever the curious individual, he thought to compare prices at Woolworths using the retail giant’s website.

‘ALDI is cheaper on most things,’ he found. ‘About 50 cents less on some items that are easy to compare, like a 150-gram block of Manchego cheese, or a nine-pack of mini hot cross buns.’

‘But only one cent cheaper on some basic things, like a 700-gram pack of Cornflakes (comparing Woolies home brand at $2.80 to ALDI’s brand at $2.79), or a litre of basic UHT milk.’

‘There was one item where ALDI is way cheaper: paracetamol for 75 cents (the cheapest one at Woolworths is $2).’


But the keyword being ‘most’, he also found some items where Woolies managed to have an edge over ALDI.

‘Pecans, for example. I like to eat pecans and I thought ALDI was cheap at $10.99 for 400 grams, but Woolworths is selling the same weight for $10.93. The capsicums at Woolies were less too, if you buy the Odd Bunch,’ he said, but with the caveat that he didn’t check prices at Woolies the same day he shopped at ALDI. (‘Fresh food prices can bounce around,’ he said of the disclaimer.)

Still, even to his expert eye, James found that there’s a lot more to comparing prices between Woolworths and ALDI than looking at the cost alone.

Most interestingly, what led him to his conclusion was some good ol’ peanut butter!

‘There’s weight differences between the packages. For example, the Farmer’s Union Greek Yoghurt they sell at ALDI is 930g, not a kilogram like the pack they sell at Woolies. But that wouldn’t be hard to control for, it’s just maths,’ he said.

‘The really hard part was controlling for quality. My confidence (that) I could compare the two supermarkets totally fell apart when I got to peanut butter. I eat so much peanut butter I can tell the difference between brands. I’m like a peanut butter connoisseur, I guess.’


photo-1601057366047-ec734881239b.jpg
There’s a lot to consider in comparing prices between supermarkets. Image Credit: Unsplash


James said his preferred peanut butter brand (‘I consider [it] the best’) at Woolies was Mayver’s 375g Dark Roasted Peanut Butter ($5.80).

At ALDI however, he found a cheaper alternative among the store’s offerings that cost just $3.29 for the same weight.

‘But is the ALDI one comparable to the Mayver’s?’ he asked.

‘No way! My refined peanut butter palette says there’s no comparison, but to be fair, I checked the ingredient list and both of them are just made of peanuts and sea salt.’

‘On paper, they’re identical products, but to me? No way.’

The observation led him to question whether or not buying things for cheaper was always the great thing it was always cut out to be.

‘I looked through all the other things on the list, and the same could be true for them. The items look the same – but are they? Manchego cheese? Who can say if the quality is the same?’ he said.

‘Mayonnaise is another classic one: you can make it with fancy egg yolk or cheap canola oil and still call it mayo.’

‘Even the pecans could be different in terms of freshness, or fat and protein content.

‘The ALDI yoghourt pouch that I fed to my kid while we were still in ALDI to stop him crying? It probably has a totally different protein, fat and sugar ratio to the ones in Woolworths.’


On the other hand, James was also quick to stress he wasn’t saying ALDI products were automatically worse because they’re cheaper.

‘I’ve eaten ALDI’s Choceur chocolate and I’ve eaten Cadbury’s and the ALDI stuff is so much better there’s no comparison. It’s more akin to Lindt or Whittaker’s,’ he said.

After coming to his peanut butter-borne realisation, James admitted that comparing ALDI and Woolworths prices without taking a look at the ‘subtle differences between … items’ can be a bit of a ‘nightmare’.

So what should people who find themselves in the same dilemma do?

Well, James has this piece of advice to offer: ‘I guess the trick is to not be fussy. If I’m willing to stop buying my favourite peanut butter, I can save $2.50 a jar.’

‘But where do I stop? I don’t want to end up eating crappy homebrand stuff that tastes bad and is bad for you just because of a bit of inflation.’

In other words, cheaper isn’t always better.
Key Takeaways

  • Official inflation data shows the price of supermarket items has risen 9.2% over the past year.
  • Economist James Murphy found that ALDI was cheaper on most items compared to Woolworths after a quick price check.
  • He stressed that comparing the two supermarkets was a 'nightmare' when accounting for quality and subtle differences.
  • He advised Aussies to not be too 'fussy' when it comes to budgeting and find the compromise between price and quality.
That said, it would be remiss of us not to acknowledge the fact that for some, cheaper is the only option, which is why we’re very much keen on finding ways seniors can save amid an intense cost-of-living crisis.

It’s also not the first time someone has gone through the motions to get into the nitty-gritty of retailer price wars. Journalist Ben Graham also included Coles in his analysis last year, so you might want to check it out.

So, what are your thoughts on this? In your experience, does ALDI’s range of items cost less compared to other supermarkets?

Do you agree that there’s a lot more to comparing prices than just looking at the cost of goods?

Tell us your opinions in the comments section below!
 
Last edited:
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I shop at both Woolworths and Aldi, am a Pensioner on a tight budget and always looking at alternative that can save me money but I will NOT compromise on taste to save a few cents, I'd rather go without an item than forsake the taste of an item I enjoy., namely a particular brand of sliced beetroot or peanut butter I enjoy - Aldi brands of these? no way.
 
I am a dedicated ALDI shopper for several reasons...I make most things from scratch and their fresh fruit and veg are superior and cheaper, for the most part, to Coles and Woolies. There are only 5 aisles and I can get in with my list and out in under an hour. Aldi multigrain bread is much grainier than the others, love their yoghurt etc. Having said that I have Woolies car and home insurance so get 10% off my shop once a month so I make a separate list and once a month go to Woolies and that saves me about $120 a year.
 
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As the cost of living continues to rise, many Australians are finding that their weekly grocery bills are taking up a larger portion of their budget.

The latest inflation data shows an alarming 9.2 per cent increase in the cost of supermarket items over the past year.

Money is a large part of our decisions when it comes to shopping, and although some of us have become savvy in our quest to save money, the question remains: where should Australians shop to get the most bang for their buck?


This is precisely what one expert set out to find when they decided to compare the prices of similar items from Woolworths and ALDI.

‘I used to just buy a lot at Woolworths online but now I try to go to ALDI a bit more. Partly to save money, partly to get a bit of variety from the standard Woolies items, partly to get my hands on some exciting special buys,’ Economist Jason Murphy said.

(Interesting SDC side note here: @Maddison Dwyer said she’s been doing the opposite lately since she found that Woolies’ prices are ‘pretty much the same’ as ALDI’s. Meanwhile, our editor @April Bradford admitted she’s completely stopped shopping at ALDI.)

‘I’ve got two little kids, and my grocery bills are definitely higher than they were back in the day. My partner and I used to drop $200 on a shop, now it’s often $300 or more.’

‘I’m not saying we’re trying to minimise what we spend. We could eat just rice and lentils and live a lot more cheaply. I am saying that if I can buy the things I want for less, I want to do that — including pecans, red meat, wasteful snack foods etc.’


View attachment 13230
ALDI items generally were more cheaper by a few cents compared to their Woolies counterparts. Image Credit: Seniors Discount Club


And so, James shared the results of a recent trip to his local ALDI, which revealed a total spend of $247.03.

Ever the curious individual, he thought to compare prices at Woolworths using the retail giant’s website.

‘ALDI is cheaper on most things,’ he found. ‘About 50 cents less on some items that are easy to compare, like a 150-gram block of Manchego cheese, or a nine-pack of mini hot cross buns.’

‘But only one cent cheaper on some basic things, like a 700-gram pack of Cornflakes (comparing Woolies home brand at $2.80 to ALDI’s brand at $2.79), or a litre of basic UHT milk.’

‘There was one item where ALDI is way cheaper: paracetamol for 75 cents (the cheapest one at Woolworths is $2).’


But the keyword being ‘most’, he also found some items where Woolies managed to have an edge over ALDI.

‘Pecans, for example. I like to eat pecans and I thought ALDI was cheap at $10.99 for 400 grams, but Woolworths is selling the same weight for $10.93. The capsicums at Woolies were less too, if you buy the Odd Bunch,’ he said, but with the caveat that he didn’t check prices at Woolies the same day he shopped at ALDI. (‘Fresh food prices can bounce around,’ he said of the disclaimer.)

Still, even to his expert eye, James found that there’s a lot more to comparing prices between Woolworths and ALDI than looking at the cost alone.

Most interestingly, what led him to his conclusion was some good ol’ peanut butter!

‘There’s weight differences between the packages. For example, the Farmer’s Union Greek Yoghurt they sell at ALDI is 930g, not a kilogram like the pack they sell at Woolies. But that wouldn’t be hard to control for, it’s just maths,’ he said.

‘The really hard part was controlling for quality. My confidence (that) I could compare the two supermarkets totally fell apart when I got to peanut butter. I eat so much peanut butter I can tell the difference between brands. I’m like a peanut butter connoisseur, I guess.’


View attachment 13181
There’s a lot to consider in comparing prices between supermarkets. Image Credit: Unsplash


James said his preferred peanut butter brand (‘I consider [it] the best’) at Woolies was Mayver’s 375g Dark Roasted Peanut Butter ($5.80).

At ALDI however, he found a cheaper alternative among the store’s offerings that cost just $3.29 for the same weight.

‘But is the ALDI one comparable to the Mayver’s?’ he asked.

‘No way! My refined peanut butter palette says there’s no comparison, but to be fair, I checked the ingredient list and both of them are just made of peanuts and sea salt.’

‘On paper, they’re identical products, but to me? No way.’

The observation led him to question whether or not buying things for cheaper was always the great thing it was always cut out to be.

‘I looked through all the other things on the list, and the same could be true for them. The items look the same – but are they? Manchego cheese? Who can say if the quality is the same?’ he said.

‘Mayonnaise is another classic one: you can make it with fancy egg yolk or cheap canola oil and still call it mayo.’

‘Even the pecans could be different in terms of freshness, or fat and protein content.

‘The ALDI yoghourt pouch that I fed to my kid while we were still in ALDI to stop him crying? It probably has a totally different protein, fat and sugar ratio to the ones in Woolworths.’


On the other hand, James was also quick to stress he wasn’t saying ALDI products were automatically worse because they’re cheaper.

‘I’ve eaten ALDI’s Choceur chocolate and I’ve eaten Cadbury’s and the ALDI stuff is so much better there’s no comparison. It’s more akin to Lindt or Whittaker’s,’ he said.

After coming to his peanut butter-borne realisation, James admitted that comparing ALDI and Woolworths prices without taking a look at the ‘subtle differences between … items’ can be a bit of a ‘nightmare’.

So what should people who find themselves in the same dilemma do?

Well, James has this piece of advice to offer: ‘I guess the trick is to not be fussy. If I’m willing to stop buying my favourite peanut butter, I can save $2.50 a jar.’

‘But where do I stop? I don’t want to end up eating crappy homebrand stuff that tastes bad and is bad for you just because of a bit of inflation.’

In other words, cheaper isn’t always better.
Key Takeaways

  • Official inflation data shows the price of supermarket items has risen 9.2% over the past year.
  • Economist James Murphy found that ALDI was cheaper on most items compared to Woolworths after a quick price check.
  • He stressed that comparing the two supermarkets was a 'nightmare' when accounting for quality and subtle differences.
  • He advised Aussies to not be too 'fussy' when it comes to budgeting and find the compromise between price and quality.
That said, it would be remiss of us not to acknowledge the fact that for some, cheaper is the only option, which is why we’re very much keen on finding ways seniors can save amid an intense cost-of-living crisis.

It’s also not the first time someone has gone through the motions to get into the nitty-gritty of retailer price wars. Journalist Ben Graham also included Coles in his analysis last year, so you might want to check it out.

So, what are your thoughts on this? In your experience, does ALDI’s range of items cost less compared to other supermarkets?

Do you agree that there’s a lot more to comparing prices than just looking at the cost of goods?

Tell us your opinions in the comments section below!
Just how much of these price increases goes to farmers or producers. It’s big business making bigger profits.
 
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There might be fluctuations in item prices in Woolies in the southern states but here in sunny QLD if anyone claims that Woolies prices are on par with Aldi prices they are not well. I am horrified every time I walk down an aisle in Woolies. I also observe with interest the shopping habits of many of the women. Most of them walk along and grab an item without checking on prices or on alternatives. They clearly don't have to earn the money that they are so freely spending.
 
I shop at Woolies online and Aldi. Aldi's low fat soy milk is $1.15 compared to Woolies $2.20 and cat food at Aldi is about 30c cheaper per can. I cannot however get my lactose free yoghurt from Aldi and other staples that I use in a vegetarian/vegan diet. I know a long of people don't care but I budget very carefully and shop Woolies online specials section. This is in Qld. And other savings include flour etc. for baking. Although with the price of power now, I won't be baking cakes etc for my neighbours as much.:cry:
 
I always do my fortnightly shopping at Aldi. I only go to woollies for a few items that Aldi doesn't stock like Tena pads & thick mint sauce which I love on my chips & baked potatoes. I have been very disappointed in Aldi's Sana pads so will no longer buy them. I do however find that their Bramwells American Style crunchy peanut butter is far superior to any peanut spreads put out by Mayvers as I don't eat it maybe I should not judge. But I have tried Mayvers & I found it extremely dry & unpalatable.
 
I am a dedicated ALDI shopper for several reasons...I make most things from scratch and their fresh fruit and veg are superior and cheaper, for the most part, to Coles and Woolies. There are only 5 aisles and I can get in with my list and out in under an hour. Aldi multigrain bread is much grainier than the others, love their yoghurt etc. Having said that I have Woolies car and home insurance so get 10% off my shop once a month so I make a separate list and once a month go to Woolies and that saves me about $120 a year.
I find Aldi produce is ok but never buy prepacked fruit and veges. Nearly always have one or two pieces going bad in the pack. We go to Aldi once a month and stock up on meat poultry and fish (the salmon is the only seafood I would buy at Aldi , tinned and bottled goods and other pantry staples and bread. For the rest of the month we support the local fruit & veg market and IGA or occasionally top up at Coles or Woolies but not often. All up it costs up to $800 for the month. There are community food pantries but we leave those to the people who are doing it tough. Just the two of us, both self funded retirees. We realise how lucky we are and really feel for people with young families and those reliant on a pension
 
I have never heard of some of the brands mentioned at any of the stores. I am always open to trying a different brand or product. I also only really shop for the products I prefer at any of the three stores mentioned. I like to check the catalogues to compare.
 
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Does nobody remember how coles and Woolworths ripped the entire population of Australia off before Aldi arrived in the country. For this reason as a matter of principle, I only shop Aldi and use the so called big two as a corner shop 🙂
 
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My husband does our weekly Aldi shop and on the last 3 weeks he’s been overcharged!! And not just by a few cents but $$$!! And being a MAN he refuses to take the docket back! Can you believe this?? Due to mobility issues I have to now leave it with him! Over the 3 weeks I am at a loss of over $30.00!!
He said they move things so quickly through the checkout he can’t keep up! Obviously when they’re scanning one item , they don’t think it is scanned and then scan and scan again!!!
Any help?? Maybe get a new hubby!😂😂😂😂
 
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Reactions: Bunyip57 and Ricci
As the cost of living continues to rise, many Australians are finding that their weekly grocery bills are taking up a larger portion of their budget.

The latest inflation data shows an alarming 9.2 per cent increase in the cost of supermarket items over the past year.

Money is a large part of our decisions when it comes to shopping, and although some of us have become savvy in our quest to save money, the question remains: where should Australians shop to get the most bang for their buck?


This is precisely what one expert set out to find when they decided to compare the prices of similar items from Woolworths and ALDI.

‘I used to just buy a lot at Woolworths online but now I try to go to ALDI a bit more. Partly to save money, partly to get a bit of variety from the standard Woolies items, partly to get my hands on some exciting special buys,’ Economist Jason Murphy said.

(Interesting SDC side note here: @Maddison Dwyer said she’s been doing the opposite lately since she found that Woolies’ prices are ‘pretty much the same’ as ALDI’s. Meanwhile, our editor @April Bradford admitted she’s completely stopped shopping at ALDI.)

‘I’ve got two little kids, and my grocery bills are definitely higher than they were back in the day. My partner and I used to drop $200 on a shop, now it’s often $300 or more.’

‘I’m not saying we’re trying to minimise what we spend. We could eat just rice and lentils and live a lot more cheaply. I am saying that if I can buy the things I want for less, I want to do that — including pecans, red meat, wasteful snack foods etc.’


View attachment 13230
ALDI items generally were more cheaper by a few cents compared to their Woolies counterparts. Image Credit: Seniors Discount Club


And so, James shared the results of a recent trip to his local ALDI, which revealed a total spend of $247.03.

Ever the curious individual, he thought to compare prices at Woolworths using the retail giant’s website.

‘ALDI is cheaper on most things,’ he found. ‘About 50 cents less on some items that are easy to compare, like a 150-gram block of Manchego cheese, or a nine-pack of mini hot cross buns.’

‘But only one cent cheaper on some basic things, like a 700-gram pack of Cornflakes (comparing Woolies home brand at $2.80 to ALDI’s brand at $2.79), or a litre of basic UHT milk.’

‘There was one item where ALDI is way cheaper: paracetamol for 75 cents (the cheapest one at Woolworths is $2).’


But the keyword being ‘most’, he also found some items where Woolies managed to have an edge over ALDI.

‘Pecans, for example. I like to eat pecans and I thought ALDI was cheap at $10.99 for 400 grams, but Woolworths is selling the same weight for $10.93. The capsicums at Woolies were less too, if you buy the Odd Bunch,’ he said, but with the caveat that he didn’t check prices at Woolies the same day he shopped at ALDI. (‘Fresh food prices can bounce around,’ he said of the disclaimer.)

Still, even to his expert eye, James found that there’s a lot more to comparing prices between Woolworths and ALDI than looking at the cost alone.

Most interestingly, what led him to his conclusion was some good ol’ peanut butter!

‘There’s weight differences between the packages. For example, the Farmer’s Union Greek Yoghurt they sell at ALDI is 930g, not a kilogram like the pack they sell at Woolies. But that wouldn’t be hard to control for, it’s just maths,’ he said.

‘The really hard part was controlling for quality. My confidence (that) I could compare the two supermarkets totally fell apart when I got to peanut butter. I eat so much peanut butter I can tell the difference between brands. I’m like a peanut butter connoisseur, I guess.’


View attachment 13181
There’s a lot to consider in comparing prices between supermarkets. Image Credit: Unsplash


James said his preferred peanut butter brand (‘I consider [it] the best’) at Woolies was Mayver’s 375g Dark Roasted Peanut Butter ($5.80).

At ALDI however, he found a cheaper alternative among the store’s offerings that cost just $3.29 for the same weight.

‘But is the ALDI one comparable to the Mayver’s?’ he asked.

‘No way! My refined peanut butter palette says there’s no comparison, but to be fair, I checked the ingredient list and both of them are just made of peanuts and sea salt.’

‘On paper, they’re identical products, but to me? No way.’

The observation led him to question whether or not buying things for cheaper was always the great thing it was always cut out to be.

‘I looked through all the other things on the list, and the same could be true for them. The items look the same – but are they? Manchego cheese? Who can say if the quality is the same?’ he said.

‘Mayonnaise is another classic one: you can make it with fancy egg yolk or cheap canola oil and still call it mayo.’

‘Even the pecans could be different in terms of freshness, or fat and protein content.

‘The ALDI yoghourt pouch that I fed to my kid while we were still in ALDI to stop him crying? It probably has a totally different protein, fat and sugar ratio to the ones in Woolworths.’


On the other hand, James was also quick to stress he wasn’t saying ALDI products were automatically worse because they’re cheaper.

‘I’ve eaten ALDI’s Choceur chocolate and I’ve eaten Cadbury’s and the ALDI stuff is so much better there’s no comparison. It’s more akin to Lindt or Whittaker’s,’ he said.

After coming to his peanut butter-borne realisation, James admitted that comparing ALDI and Woolworths prices without taking a look at the ‘subtle differences between … items’ can be a bit of a ‘nightmare’.

So what should people who find themselves in the same dilemma do?

Well, James has this piece of advice to offer: ‘I guess the trick is to not be fussy. If I’m willing to stop buying my favourite peanut butter, I can save $2.50 a jar.’

‘But where do I stop? I don’t want to end up eating crappy homebrand stuff that tastes bad and is bad for you just because of a bit of inflation.’

In other words, cheaper isn’t always better.
Key Takeaways

  • Official inflation data shows the price of supermarket items has risen 9.2% over the past year.
  • Economist James Murphy found that ALDI was cheaper on most items compared to Woolworths after a quick price check.
  • He stressed that comparing the two supermarkets was a 'nightmare' when accounting for quality and subtle differences.
  • He advised Aussies to not be too 'fussy' when it comes to budgeting and find the compromise between price and quality.
That said, it would be remiss of us not to acknowledge the fact that for some, cheaper is the only option, which is why we’re very much keen on finding ways seniors can save amid an intense cost-of-living crisis.

It’s also not the first time someone has gone through the motions to get into the nitty-gritty of retailer price wars. Journalist Ben Graham also included Coles in his analysis last year, so you might want to check it out.

So, what are your thoughts on this? In your experience, does ALDI’s range of items cost less compared to other supermarkets?

Do you agree that there’s a lot more to comparing prices than just looking at the cost of goods?

Tell us your opinions in the comments section below!
Don’t know where this Woolies and Aldi are in Australia but you’ll find most grocery items wherever you shop are so much more expensive in the West.
 
I have a love-hate relationship with Aldi; I love their stores but hate the fact that the nearest one is a 2200km round-trip away from here. I also hate that the few stores they DO have in Queensland are not liquor-licensed; that's one of the biggest incentives for me to road-trip South!
 
There might be fluctuations in item prices in Woolies in the southern states but here in sunny QLD if anyone claims that Woolies prices are on par with Aldi prices they are not well. I am horrified every time I walk down an aisle in Woolies. I also observe with interest the shopping habits of many of the women. Most of them walk along and grab an item without checking on prices or on alternatives. They clearly don't have to earn the money that they are so freely spending.
I must say I have also noticed this also applies to some guys. What appalls me is that so few people use a list...and then wonder why they end up throwing out so much food. Also folks manufacturers can only put a use by date 3 years into the future so if is still in a factory sealed jar, packet etc it's probably OK. But shop with a list that the entire family can participate in and things dont stay on the shelf for that long.
 
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As the cost of living continues to rise, many Australians are finding that their weekly grocery bills are taking up a larger portion of their budget.

The latest inflation data shows an alarming 9.2 per cent increase in the cost of supermarket items over the past year.

Money is a large part of our decisions when it comes to shopping, and although some of us have become savvy in our quest to save money, the question remains: where should Australians shop to get the most bang for their buck?


This is precisely what one expert set out to find when they decided to compare the prices of similar items from Woolworths and ALDI.

‘I used to just buy a lot at Woolworths online but now I try to go to ALDI a bit more. Partly to save money, partly to get a bit of variety from the standard Woolies items, partly to get my hands on some exciting special buys,’ Economist Jason Murphy said.

(Interesting SDC side note here: @Maddison Dwyer said she’s been doing the opposite lately since she found that Woolies’ prices are ‘pretty much the same’ as ALDI’s. Meanwhile, our editor @April Bradford admitted she’s completely stopped shopping at ALDI.)

‘I’ve got two little kids, and my grocery bills are definitely higher than they were back in the day. My partner and I used to drop $200 on a shop, now it’s often $300 or more.’

‘I’m not saying we’re trying to minimise what we spend. We could eat just rice and lentils and live a lot more cheaply. I am saying that if I can buy the things I want for less, I want to do that — including pecans, red meat, wasteful snack foods etc.’


View attachment 13230
ALDI items generally were more cheaper by a few cents compared to their Woolies counterparts. Image Credit: Seniors Discount Club


And so, James shared the results of a recent trip to his local ALDI, which revealed a total spend of $247.03.

Ever the curious individual, he thought to compare prices at Woolworths using the retail giant’s website.

‘ALDI is cheaper on most things,’ he found. ‘About 50 cents less on some items that are easy to compare, like a 150-gram block of Manchego cheese, or a nine-pack of mini hot cross buns.’

‘But only one cent cheaper on some basic things, like a 700-gram pack of Cornflakes (comparing Woolies home brand at $2.80 to ALDI’s brand at $2.79), or a litre of basic UHT milk.’

‘There was one item where ALDI is way cheaper: paracetamol for 75 cents (the cheapest one at Woolworths is $2).’


But the keyword being ‘most’, he also found some items where Woolies managed to have an edge over ALDI.

‘Pecans, for example. I like to eat pecans and I thought ALDI was cheap at $10.99 for 400 grams, but Woolworths is selling the same weight for $10.93. The capsicums at Woolies were less too, if you buy the Odd Bunch,’ he said, but with the caveat that he didn’t check prices at Woolies the same day he shopped at ALDI. (‘Fresh food prices can bounce around,’ he said of the disclaimer.)

Still, even to his expert eye, James found that there’s a lot more to comparing prices between Woolworths and ALDI than looking at the cost alone.

Most interestingly, what led him to his conclusion was some good ol’ peanut butter!

‘There’s weight differences between the packages. For example, the Farmer’s Union Greek Yoghurt they sell at ALDI is 930g, not a kilogram like the pack they sell at Woolies. But that wouldn’t be hard to control for, it’s just maths,’ he said.

‘The really hard part was controlling for quality. My confidence (that) I could compare the two supermarkets totally fell apart when I got to peanut butter. I eat so much peanut butter I can tell the difference between brands. I’m like a peanut butter connoisseur, I guess.’


View attachment 13181
There’s a lot to consider in comparing prices between supermarkets. Image Credit: Unsplash


James said his preferred peanut butter brand (‘I consider [it] the best’) at Woolies was Mayver’s 375g Dark Roasted Peanut Butter ($5.80).

At ALDI however, he found a cheaper alternative among the store’s offerings that cost just $3.29 for the same weight.

‘But is the ALDI one comparable to the Mayver’s?’ he asked.

‘No way! My refined peanut butter palette says there’s no comparison, but to be fair, I checked the ingredient list and both of them are just made of peanuts and sea salt.’

‘On paper, they’re identical products, but to me? No way.’

The observation led him to question whether or not buying things for cheaper was always the great thing it was always cut out to be.

‘I looked through all the other things on the list, and the same could be true for them. The items look the same – but are they? Manchego cheese? Who can say if the quality is the same?’ he said.

‘Mayonnaise is another classic one: you can make it with fancy egg yolk or cheap canola oil and still call it mayo.’

‘Even the pecans could be different in terms of freshness, or fat and protein content.

‘The ALDI yoghourt pouch that I fed to my kid while we were still in ALDI to stop him crying? It probably has a totally different protein, fat and sugar ratio to the ones in Woolworths.’


On the other hand, James was also quick to stress he wasn’t saying ALDI products were automatically worse because they’re cheaper.

‘I’ve eaten ALDI’s Choceur chocolate and I’ve eaten Cadbury’s and the ALDI stuff is so much better there’s no comparison. It’s more akin to Lindt or Whittaker’s,’ he said.

After coming to his peanut butter-borne realisation, James admitted that comparing ALDI and Woolworths prices without taking a look at the ‘subtle differences between … items’ can be a bit of a ‘nightmare’.

So what should people who find themselves in the same dilemma do?

Well, James has this piece of advice to offer: ‘I guess the trick is to not be fussy. If I’m willing to stop buying my favourite peanut butter, I can save $2.50 a jar.’

‘But where do I stop? I don’t want to end up eating crappy homebrand stuff that tastes bad and is bad for you just because of a bit of inflation.’

In other words, cheaper isn’t always better.
Key Takeaways

  • Official inflation data shows the price of supermarket items has risen 9.2% over the past year.
  • Economist James Murphy found that ALDI was cheaper on most items compared to Woolworths after a quick price check.
  • He stressed that comparing the two supermarkets was a 'nightmare' when accounting for quality and subtle differences.
  • He advised Aussies to not be too 'fussy' when it comes to budgeting and find the compromise between price and quality.
That said, it would be remiss of us not to acknowledge the fact that for some, cheaper is the only option, which is why we’re very much keen on finding ways seniors can save amid an intense cost-of-living crisis.

It’s also not the first time someone has gone through the motions to get into the nitty-gritty of retailer price wars. Journalist Ben Graham also included Coles in his analysis last year, so you might want to check it out.

So, what are your thoughts on this? In your experience, does ALDI’s range of items cost less compared to other supermarkets?

Do you agree that there’s a lot more to comparing prices than just looking at the cost of goods?

Tell us your opinions in the comments section below!
Woolworths home brand is so much better now so if you stick to that the prices are very similar
 
I have never heard of some of the brands mentioned at any of the stores. I am always open to trying a different brand or product. I also only really shop for the products I prefer at any of the three stores mentioned. I like to check the catalogues to compare.
I'm 66 I think over the years I have tried every product and now I know what I like and what I don't I usually only buy things on special so when they are on special I buy 3 or 4 of them
 
As the cost of living continues to rise, many Australians are finding that their weekly grocery bills are taking up a larger portion of their budget.

The latest inflation data shows an alarming 9.2 per cent increase in the cost of supermarket items over the past year.

Money is a large part of our decisions when it comes to shopping, and although some of us have become savvy in our quest to save money, the question remains: where should Australians shop to get the most bang for their buck?


This is precisely what one expert set out to find when they decided to compare the prices of similar items from Woolworths and ALDI.

‘I used to just buy a lot at Woolworths online but now I try to go to ALDI a bit more. Partly to save money, partly to get a bit of variety from the standard Woolies items, partly to get my hands on some exciting special buys,’ Economist Jason Murphy said.

(Interesting SDC side note here: @Maddison Dwyer said she’s been doing the opposite lately since she found that Woolies’ prices are ‘pretty much the same’ as ALDI’s. Meanwhile, our editor @April Bradford admitted she’s completely stopped shopping at ALDI.)

‘I’ve got two little kids, and my grocery bills are definitely higher than they were back in the day. My partner and I used to drop $200 on a shop, now it’s often $300 or more.’

‘I’m not saying we’re trying to minimise what we spend. We could eat just rice and lentils and live a lot more cheaply. I am saying that if I can buy the things I want for less, I want to do that — including pecans, red meat, wasteful snack foods etc.’


View attachment 13230
ALDI items generally were more cheaper by a few cents compared to their Woolies counterparts. Image Credit: Seniors Discount Club


And so, James shared the results of a recent trip to his local ALDI, which revealed a total spend of $247.03.

Ever the curious individual, he thought to compare prices at Woolworths using the retail giant’s website.

‘ALDI is cheaper on most things,’ he found. ‘About 50 cents less on some items that are easy to compare, like a 150-gram block of Manchego cheese, or a nine-pack of mini hot cross buns.’

‘But only one cent cheaper on some basic things, like a 700-gram pack of Cornflakes (comparing Woolies home brand at $2.80 to ALDI’s brand at $2.79), or a litre of basic UHT milk.’

‘There was one item where ALDI is way cheaper: paracetamol for 75 cents (the cheapest one at Woolworths is $2).’


But the keyword being ‘most’, he also found some items where Woolies managed to have an edge over ALDI.

‘Pecans, for example. I like to eat pecans and I thought ALDI was cheap at $10.99 for 400 grams, but Woolworths is selling the same weight for $10.93. The capsicums at Woolies were less too, if you buy the Odd Bunch,’ he said, but with the caveat that he didn’t check prices at Woolies the same day he shopped at ALDI. (‘Fresh food prices can bounce around,’ he said of the disclaimer.)

Still, even to his expert eye, James found that there’s a lot more to comparing prices between Woolworths and ALDI than looking at the cost alone.

Most interestingly, what led him to his conclusion was some good ol’ peanut butter!

‘There’s weight differences between the packages. For example, the Farmer’s Union Greek Yoghurt they sell at ALDI is 930g, not a kilogram like the pack they sell at Woolies. But that wouldn’t be hard to control for, it’s just maths,’ he said.

‘The really hard part was controlling for quality. My confidence (that) I could compare the two supermarkets totally fell apart when I got to peanut butter. I eat so much peanut butter I can tell the difference between brands. I’m like a peanut butter connoisseur, I guess.’


View attachment 13181
There’s a lot to consider in comparing prices between supermarkets. Image Credit: Unsplash


James said his preferred peanut butter brand (‘I consider [it] the best’) at Woolies was Mayver’s 375g Dark Roasted Peanut Butter ($5.80).

At ALDI however, he found a cheaper alternative among the store’s offerings that cost just $3.29 for the same weight.

‘But is the ALDI one comparable to the Mayver’s?’ he asked.

‘No way! My refined peanut butter palette says there’s no comparison, but to be fair, I checked the ingredient list and both of them are just made of peanuts and sea salt.’

‘On paper, they’re identical products, but to me? No way.’

The observation led him to question whether or not buying things for cheaper was always the great thing it was always cut out to be.

‘I looked through all the other things on the list, and the same could be true for them. The items look the same – but are they? Manchego cheese? Who can say if the quality is the same?’ he said.

‘Mayonnaise is another classic one: you can make it with fancy egg yolk or cheap canola oil and still call it mayo.’

‘Even the pecans could be different in terms of freshness, or fat and protein content.

‘The ALDI yoghourt pouch that I fed to my kid while we were still in ALDI to stop him crying? It probably has a totally different protein, fat and sugar ratio to the ones in Woolworths.’


On the other hand, James was also quick to stress he wasn’t saying ALDI products were automatically worse because they’re cheaper.

‘I’ve eaten ALDI’s Choceur chocolate and I’ve eaten Cadbury’s and the ALDI stuff is so much better there’s no comparison. It’s more akin to Lindt or Whittaker’s,’ he said.

After coming to his peanut butter-borne realisation, James admitted that comparing ALDI and Woolworths prices without taking a look at the ‘subtle differences between … items’ can be a bit of a ‘nightmare’.

So what should people who find themselves in the same dilemma do?

Well, James has this piece of advice to offer: ‘I guess the trick is to not be fussy. If I’m willing to stop buying my favourite peanut butter, I can save $2.50 a jar.’

‘But where do I stop? I don’t want to end up eating crappy homebrand stuff that tastes bad and is bad for you just because of a bit of inflation.’

In other words, cheaper isn’t always better.
Key Takeaways

  • Official inflation data shows the price of supermarket items has risen 9.2% over the past year.
  • Economist James Murphy found that ALDI was cheaper on most items compared to Woolworths after a quick price check.
  • He stressed that comparing the two supermarkets was a 'nightmare' when accounting for quality and subtle differences.
  • He advised Aussies to not be too 'fussy' when it comes to budgeting and find the compromise between price and quality.
That said, it would be remiss of us not to acknowledge the fact that for some, cheaper is the only option, which is why we’re very much keen on finding ways seniors can save amid an intense cost-of-living crisis.

It’s also not the first time someone has gone through the motions to get into the nitty-gritty of retailer price wars. Journalist Ben Graham also included Coles in his analysis last year, so you might want to check it out.

So, what are your thoughts on this? In your experience, does ALDI’s range of items cost less compared to other supermarkets?

Do you agree that there’s a lot more to comparing prices than just looking at the cost of goods?

Tell us your opinions in the comments section below!
I rarely shop at Aldi anymore. Sometimes I go for special buys or fresh produce but as I have special dietary needs Aldi doesn’t cater for I go to Cole’s or Woolies mostly.
 

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