The Hon Andrew Leigh MP
Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities, and Treasury
Assistant Minister for Employment
The Hon Michelle Rowland MP
Minister for Communications
Federal Member for Greenway
JOINT MEDIA RELEASE
HELPING THE SHOPPERS OF NORTH WEST SYDNEY MAKE INFORMED CHOICES AT THE CHECKOUT
The Albanese Government has today welcomed the release of CHOICE’s first quarterly report into supermarket prices.
What’s clear is that Greenway locals are facing cost-of-living pressures, with pressure particularly piled on at the cash register.
This research will help consumers make more informed choices so they can get cheaper prices at the checkout.
The Albanese Government provided CHOICE with $1.1 million to conduct quarterly price monitoring reports for three years to help give Australians the information they need to get the best deal on their weekly shop.
Today’s CHOICE ‘basket of goods’ report using data from March of this year is the first of these quarterly updates designed to help consumers make informed decisions about what they’re buying.
This initiative is an important part of the Government’s broader efforts to boost competition and put downward pressure on the price of essentials, including through our ongoing inquiry into pricing and competition in the supermarket sector run by the ACCC, the Food and Grocery Code of Conduct review, and the Competition Taskforce’s focus on cost-of-living initiatives.
CHOICE’s next quarterly grocery price report will be released by the end of September 2024.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Communications and Federal Member for Greenway, Michelle Rowland
The Albanese Government knows that people in North West Sydney are doing it tough – which is why we’re supporting CHOICE to release quarterly reports that will help Australians get a fair go at the checkout”.
“This is about making our supermarkets as competitive and transparent as they can be so that people in Greenway can buy their essentials for the best possible price”.
Quotes attributable to Assistant Minister for Competition Dr Andrew Leigh
“Information is power, and we’re putting that power in the hands of consumers in Greenway. Helping shoppers find the best deal makes the family budget stretch further and puts more competitive pressure on the supermarkets.
“Australia’s supermarket sector is one of the most concentrated in the world, and it’s only fair that big supermarket chains get proper scrutiny to ensure that they’re doing the right thing by their customers.”
BACKGROUND
CHOICE’s ‘basket of goods’ report found Aldi’s basket was about 25 per cent cheaper than comparable baskets at Coles and Woolworths, saving shoppers around $17 on a basket of 14 typical grocery items.
The average basket price for Aldi, Woolworths and Coles nation-wide was:
- Aldi: $51.51 (with and without specials)
- Woolworths: $68.58 (without specials), $64.93 (with specials)
- Coles: $69.33 (without specials), $68.52 (with specials)
- Other findings include:
- The absence of Aldi in Tasmania and the Northern Territory, means that shoppers end up paying higher prices.
- The average price of the basket in Western Australia was about one dollar higher than in the eastern states.
BACKGROUND – NSW AVERAGES
New South Wales
Average basket cost:
- $63.22 (without specials) $61.78 (with specials)
- Aldi: $50.82
- Woolworths: $69.04
- Coles: $69.80
ENDS
