More and more Aussies are ditching major supermarkets – here's why
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You've probably noticed that in the past few months, you're spending more and more money on your weekly shop…
Did everyone's grocery list suddenly expand? Or is the price of food and other necessities going through the roof?
If you've read a few articles by us before, then you'll know everything is getting expensive. We've said it so much you're probably sick of it. But it's to serve a purpose which is to help you lower your expenses and take some stress off.
A recent study conducted by meal kit delivery service HelloFresh has found that the average household now spends an additional $1200 at grocery stores per year.
Apparently, supermarket giants are making sure that more and more of their customers are 'overspending' while inside through promotions and discounts.
This has prompted many budget-savvy Aussies to start looking for alternatives to supermarket chains.
Purchasing groceries at supermarkets costs households an additional $1200 annually. Credit: NCA NewsWire / David Mariuz.
More than 2000 Australians were polled for the study, which discovered that 82 per cent of respondents now spend up to $200 on their weekly grocery buys and that roughly 2 out of 5 people routinely go over their allotted budget for food.
The study also found that 71 per cent of the people who took part were worried that food prices would keep going up.
Other key findings from the research found:
Some Aussies, in response to the continuously growing price of food and fresh produce at supermarkets, have begun using meal kit delivery services.
Such is the case with Rebecca, who is living in Victoria. She used to shop at Coles and Woolies but has now made the switch to using an independent grocery delivery service.
'I would usually pop in multiple times throughout the week to get ingredients for dinner that night; I'd end up spending at least $40 every time I went into the supermarket, if not more,' she spoke about her shopping habits with a news outlet.
'I switched to HelloFresh because I was getting tired of going through the same process every day when it came to thinking about dinner. I had to think about who was around, what they'd want to eat and what I could be bothered making.'
'Knowing that I wouldn't have to do the mad dash to the supermarket after work was the biggest thing that made me swap to using the delivery service.'
Because Rebecca's partner has two children who spend the weekends with them, she claims that she is now able to save approximately $100 per week as a result of her decision to stop shopping at major supermarkets.
There are plenty of other places to shop besides big supermarkets. Credit: Hoxton / Tom Merton.
Supermarkets are a huge part of our lives. They have helped a number of local communities by making it easier to get high-quality goods and fresh produce. Plus, they're a one-stop shop for almost all of our daily needs!
While we admit that we can't avoid or ditch them altogether, there are other places to shop to save a bit on our expenses.
Here are a few:
Farmer's markets
Most areas, no matter how big or small, have at least one a month. Here, you can discover a selection of incredible fresh goods that have come directly from local farmers and producers, including local honey, meat, fruit, and vegetables.
Since no middleman is taking a cut, all of the money goes directly to the growers, allowing you to support local farmers and producers directly.
But be careful to check prices; like supermarkets, some farmer's markets can have steep markups on certain items.
Local independent retailers
By taking a walk down through your suburb, you might be able to figure out how much of your weekly shopping needs you can fulfil from small businesses in your area.
If you have local butchers, bakers, greengrocers, and even hardware stores in the community, take a look at what they have to offer!
They frequently offer equal, if not better, prices to supermarkets and are a wealth of information on their own goods. And instead of filling the wallets of supermarket executives, your money stays in the community and helps small business owners put food on their family tables.
Grow your own fresh produce
Not everyone here has enough space around their houses to grow all of their own food or set up a whole greenhouse for crops. We do, however, have a few tiny spaces where we can set up some herb pots or a few trays of easy-to-grow veggies like radishes, turnips and carrots, and even leafy greens such as lettuce.
There's nothing more satisfying than eating something you grew yourself. Homemade food with homegrown ingredients? Yes, please!
So there you have it, folks! Are there any supermarket alternatives you would like to add to the list? Please share them with the rest of us in the comments section below!
Did everyone's grocery list suddenly expand? Or is the price of food and other necessities going through the roof?
If you've read a few articles by us before, then you'll know everything is getting expensive. We've said it so much you're probably sick of it. But it's to serve a purpose which is to help you lower your expenses and take some stress off.
A recent study conducted by meal kit delivery service HelloFresh has found that the average household now spends an additional $1200 at grocery stores per year.
Apparently, supermarket giants are making sure that more and more of their customers are 'overspending' while inside through promotions and discounts.
This has prompted many budget-savvy Aussies to start looking for alternatives to supermarket chains.
Purchasing groceries at supermarkets costs households an additional $1200 annually. Credit: NCA NewsWire / David Mariuz.
More than 2000 Australians were polled for the study, which discovered that 82 per cent of respondents now spend up to $200 on their weekly grocery buys and that roughly 2 out of 5 people routinely go over their allotted budget for food.
The study also found that 71 per cent of the people who took part were worried that food prices would keep going up.
Other key findings from the research found:
- Nearly 90 per cent of shoppers are likely to impulse-buy an item if it's offered at a discount. On the other hand, about 88 per cent of the respondents say that they tend to buy things on impulse, whether it's offered at full price or not.
- Among the people surveyed, 40 per cent buy items that were not initially part of their grocery list just because it's on sale.
- Three out of every five shoppers typically visit multiple stores just to find what they need to complete their grocery list.
Some Aussies, in response to the continuously growing price of food and fresh produce at supermarkets, have begun using meal kit delivery services.
Such is the case with Rebecca, who is living in Victoria. She used to shop at Coles and Woolies but has now made the switch to using an independent grocery delivery service.
'I would usually pop in multiple times throughout the week to get ingredients for dinner that night; I'd end up spending at least $40 every time I went into the supermarket, if not more,' she spoke about her shopping habits with a news outlet.
'I switched to HelloFresh because I was getting tired of going through the same process every day when it came to thinking about dinner. I had to think about who was around, what they'd want to eat and what I could be bothered making.'
'Knowing that I wouldn't have to do the mad dash to the supermarket after work was the biggest thing that made me swap to using the delivery service.'
Because Rebecca's partner has two children who spend the weekends with them, she claims that she is now able to save approximately $100 per week as a result of her decision to stop shopping at major supermarkets.
There are plenty of other places to shop besides big supermarkets. Credit: Hoxton / Tom Merton.
Supermarkets are a huge part of our lives. They have helped a number of local communities by making it easier to get high-quality goods and fresh produce. Plus, they're a one-stop shop for almost all of our daily needs!
While we admit that we can't avoid or ditch them altogether, there are other places to shop to save a bit on our expenses.
Here are a few:
Farmer's markets
Most areas, no matter how big or small, have at least one a month. Here, you can discover a selection of incredible fresh goods that have come directly from local farmers and producers, including local honey, meat, fruit, and vegetables.
Since no middleman is taking a cut, all of the money goes directly to the growers, allowing you to support local farmers and producers directly.
But be careful to check prices; like supermarkets, some farmer's markets can have steep markups on certain items.
Local independent retailers
By taking a walk down through your suburb, you might be able to figure out how much of your weekly shopping needs you can fulfil from small businesses in your area.
If you have local butchers, bakers, greengrocers, and even hardware stores in the community, take a look at what they have to offer!
They frequently offer equal, if not better, prices to supermarkets and are a wealth of information on their own goods. And instead of filling the wallets of supermarket executives, your money stays in the community and helps small business owners put food on their family tables.
Grow your own fresh produce
Not everyone here has enough space around their houses to grow all of their own food or set up a whole greenhouse for crops. We do, however, have a few tiny spaces where we can set up some herb pots or a few trays of easy-to-grow veggies like radishes, turnips and carrots, and even leafy greens such as lettuce.
There's nothing more satisfying than eating something you grew yourself. Homemade food with homegrown ingredients? Yes, please!
So there you have it, folks! Are there any supermarket alternatives you would like to add to the list? Please share them with the rest of us in the comments section below!
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