Australian grocery stats
According to data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), Australians spent $11.4 billion at the supermarket in November 2022 – equivalent to about $520 per person. In comparison, April 2021 saw total grocery spending of $10.2 billion, or $464 per person. Consumer spending has been left largely undisturbed by the rise in grocery prices, increasing by 8% over the year to November 2022. These increases have not been seen since the lockdown buying of the pandemic.
“We are seeing a back to basics approach by consumers when it comes to food purchases at the check out. Times like this require suppliers to be vigilant with the fundamentals of business success- safety, quality and affordability ” gino vescio- entyce food ingredients
How much does each household spend on groceries?
According to Finder’s Consumer Sentiment Tracker, the average Aussie household spends $185 per week on groceries, with men ($189) spending slightly more on their supermarket shop than women ($174).
Between the generations, gen Y pay the most for their weekly shop ($197 each), followed by gen X ($187) and gen Z ($186). Baby boomers keep their costs lower, spending an average of $149 per household per week.
Those from New South Wales ($187) are spending more than any other state on groceries, while those from South Australia spend the least ($160).
The Grocery effect
Where do Australians prefer to buy groceries?
Finder research has found consumers’ preferences are unchanged since 2021. Woolworths is still the nation’s favourite supermarket, with 48% of Australians saying they primarily shop with the fresh food people. This is closely followed by Coles (39%). A further 10% say Aldi is their supermarket of choice, while 2% opt for IGA.
Women are marginally more likely than men to shop at Woolworths (49% compared to 46%) while men are more likely to choose Coles (40% compared to 38%).
Gen Z are the most likely to shop at Woolworths (55%), compared to baby boomers and gen Y (both 47%).
Interestingly, those that shop at Aldi say they are spending the most on their weekly groceries ($210). Shoppers at Coles say they are spending $23 less than those at Woolies. ($193 and $170, respectively). We do note, that Aldi is the only 1 of the 3 stores that sell alcohol and special items like camping equipment, so this could be a factor in the higher weekly spend.
How often do Australians buy groceries?
More than half of Australians do their grocery shopping weekly (53%). This has risen significantly from just over a third (38%) in 2021. The number of Australians shopping more frequently than once a week has dropped slightly to 33%. Less than 1 in 10 (9%) stock up every fortnight.
Interestingly, those who shop for groceries once every few days tend to spend more per week ($201) than those who opt for weekly visits ($177).
