Report finds Aldi significantly cheaper than Coles, Woolworths

ABC NEWS (Australia)

The first of a series of government-funded reports into supermarket prices across the country has found that the same basket of groceries could cost about 25% more, depending on which supermarket you visit.

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00:00This new research has shown that a basket of groceries at Aldi was 25% less than at

00:06Coles and Woolworths. For 14 products, the total was $51.51 at Aldi, while it was just

00:12over $68.58 at Woolworths and $69.33 at Coles. These figures came from undercover shoppers

00:21at 81 supermarkets in 27 regional and metropolitan locations across the country in March. Choice

00:27Chief Executive Ashley De Silva says the company doesn't focus on sale prices.

00:33As a general principle, how do they price at these stores? So we really actually exclude

00:37one-off discounts and things like that and look at the base level pricing of similar

00:41items.

00:42Greens Senator and Chair of the Select Committee into Supermarket Prices Nick McKim says while

00:46informing customers is a good move, more needs to be done for consumers.

00:51Information and empowered shoppers is a good thing, but we need to do much, much more to

00:56actually address the problem.

00:58A Coles spokesperson says it's always working hard to deliver value to its customers, but

01:02it's unclear where the like-for-like products have been compared between shops. Meanwhile,

01:07Woolworths says customers choose their stores due to a wide range of products at competitive

01:11prices, and all its pricing is available online.

01:15This report is the first one which was commissioned by the Albanese government earlier this year.

01:19We can expect to see similar reports every quarter for nearly the next three years, and

01:23it's a move which comes alongside an ACCC inquiry into supermarket prices.

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