Brand-less behaviour: Aussies adapt shopping habits to combat costs
With financial pressures mounting, many Australians are making changes to their grocery shopping habits to save money, according to new research by Finder.
A Finder survey of 1,013 respondents revealed 4 in 5 Australians (80%) are taking steps to cut their grocery bills in the past year.
The research found 45% are cutting back on non-essential items, while 43% are reducing overall spending.
Nearly 2 in 5 (39%) are switching to cheaper brands, and 1 in 3 (32%) are shopping at multiple stores to find the best deals, and using coupons (32%).
A further 21% are taking advantage of monthly discounts by doing one big shop, and 16% have reduced their meat consumption.
Sarah Megginson, personal finance expert at Finder, said with grocery prices continuing to rise, it's likely that even more Australians will be forced to adopt extreme shopping habits in the future.
"Australians are feeling the pinch at the supermarket.
"Grocery shopping is no longer a simple task you do each week – it's become a strategic exercise in cost-cutting for many Australians."
Grocery spending reached a record high in January this year – the average household reported spending $209 per week, up 11% from $188 per week in January 2024.
Megginson said it's more important than ever to shop smart and seek out savings wherever possible.
"You can often find equally good store or generic brands for less, but they sometimes require a bit of searching.
"Check out weekly catalogues and half-price sales to see what savings you can make by substituting things you were already planning to buy.
"Also make the most of loyalty programs to get the best deals and earn points on every shop."
Megginson urged Aussies to reconsider impulsive grocery purchases, like grabbing discounted snacks at checkout or choosing pricey eye-level brands.
"Try to be mindful of what you really need versus what you want. Those little extras add up quickly.
"If you don't already, you may consider shopping online – I've found I'm more exact with my shop and less tempted by the sales.
"Making a few small changes can make a huge difference to your grocery bill and keep more money in your pocket."
Have you done any of the following when grocery shopping in the past 12 months due to financial pressure?
| Cut back on non-essentials | 45% |
| Reduced spending | 43% |
| Switched to cheaper brands | 39% |
| Shopping at 2 or more grocery stores to save money | 32% |
| Used coupons | 32% |
| Doing one big shop to take advantage of monthly discounts (e.g. Coles Plus Saver / Woolworths Rewards Everyday Extra) | 21% |
| Reduced meat consumption | 16% |
| None of the above | 20% |
| Source: Finder survey of 1,013 respondents, January 2025 |  |
Methodology
- Finder's Consumer Sentiment Tracker is a monthly recurring nationally representative survey of more than 60,000 respondents.
- Figures in this release are based on 1,013 respondents from January 2025.
- The Consumer Sentiment Tracker is owned by Finder and operated by Qualtrics.
- The survey has been running monthly since May 2019.
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