Cost of grocery staples skyrocket up to 31%: here are the most expensive items
Grocery bills are a major source of stress for 2 in 5 Australians.
More Australians are admitting to being stressed about the rising cost of groceries, according to data from Finder.
The average Aussie now admits to spending $191 each week at the supermarket as of April 2024 while an analysis of prices shows some staples have increased as much as 31% in 2 years.
The new research from Finder also revealed 2 in 5 (40%) of Australians say grocery bills are one of their main stressors, a number which has more than doubled over the past 4 years.
The alarming data comes as the Senate Select Committee on Supermarket Prices is ongoing, with the business practices and market power of the nation's largest supermarkets Coles and Woolworths – among others – to be scrutinised.
The most expensive items
Based on an analysis by Finder, the cost of some grocery items has increased as much as 31% since 2022.
We calculated the cost of a basket of 23 goods using average prices from 2022 and 2024 using data from both Coles and Woolworths.
On average, you would be paying $406 in 2024 compared to $361 in 2022, an increase of 12%.
Grocery spending down
Finder's analysis comes as new figures are released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) which found Australians are buying less food overall.
Australians bought 3.9% less food in 2022-23 with a drop across all major food groups. The largest drop was in vegetables, down 14 grams per person per day, followed by fruit (12 grams), milk (11 grams) and non-alcoholic beverages (9 grams).
ABS health statistics spokesperson Paul Atyea says: "Each person had 186 grams of vegetables a day in 2022-23, down from 200 grams a day in 2021-22.
"We also went from eating 150 grams of fruit to 138 grams a day during 2022-23, while milk products fell from 278 to 267 to grams."
How to save on groceries
Head of consumer research at Finder Graham Cooke says there are a few things you can do to save at the checkout.
"Heading into the shops with a shopping list will prevent you from making impulse purchases, and sticking to the items you actually need."
"Taking advantage of supermarket reward programs can help you save a few dollars here and there off your shop."
Cooke also stressed the importance of keeping your options open when it comes to your groceries.
"The best thing you can do is shop around at various supermarkets – or even cast your net a bit wider. Online stores like Amazon often offer pantry goods at lower prices than the big two."
You can find more grocery savings tips here and learn about the average cost of groceries.
