Easter showbag price tags: Girls’ hip pockets hit the hardest

29 March 2018, Sydney, Australia – With Sydney-siders heading to the Royal Easter Show this year, finder.com.au analysed a range of showbags and categorised them by gender to reveal who’s paying the most.

The research analysed 400 showbags* to be sold at the 2018 Sydney Easter Show by looking at the average price paid for bags aimed at different gender profiles — boys, girls, unisex and adults.

By comparing the average showbag price with the average recommended retail price (RRP) of the showbag contents, the analysis reveals the potential cost and savings across the different categories.

Girls will need deeper pockets, with the average show bag aimed specifically at girls costing $25, more expensive than the $23 charged for the average bag aimed at boys.

Unisex bags were the most light on the pocket, with showbags categorised for both boys and girls averaged at only $16.

However, although though girls pay the most on average they also make more savings. The full retail value for the average girl’s showbag came in at $108, meaning the average saving over the retail cost of the contents was a $83.

On the other hand, boy’s show bags only equated to savings of $43.

Bessie Hassan, Money Expert at finder.com.au says show-goers should be wary of overspending on showbags.

“While some bags can offer a good return on investment, try not to go overboard.

“It may be exciting to see all the contents of your favourite confectionary on display, don’t get swept up in the marketing hype.

“If you’re taking the kids to the show, try to impose a limit on the number of showbags for each child so you can manage expectations,” she says.

The small number of bags aimed exclusively at adults featured the biggest saving, with $106 worth of retail items on sale for $20 on average.

The cheaper bags aimed at both boys and girls had the lowest saving of only $25.

Average showbag prices across gender groups:

source: finder.com.au, eastershow.com.au

Tips for cutting costs at the Easter Show:

• Check out the best-value showbags: Showbags can range anywhere from $5 to north of $100 and if you’re getting more than one, this can add up quickly. See which show bags offer the best return on investment (ROI) this year, including the Australian Women’s Weekly, ELLE Australia and Skylanders Supercharger.
• Pack your lunch from home: You may be tempted to indulge in freshly squeezed lemonade or curly fries, but if you pack your lunch from home you can greatly trim your costs. It’s also smart to pack bottled water which you can refill throughout the day.
• Grab a twilight ticket (entry after 4pm): While you may be tempted to make it a day trip, if you visit after 4pm you could score yourself a discount. Entry for an adult is $31, a child is $10, and a concession is $23 when you buy online or at the gate for entry after 4pm.
• Pre-order ride coupons: You can save up to 20% by buying your ride vouchers online.

*supplied by eastershow.com.au as at 7 March, 2018.