More than one third (43%) of Australians have changed how they do their grocery shopping since news of last year’s ACCC inquiry into supermarket pricing, new research from Canstar Blue has revealed.
The research, which surveyed more than 3,000 Australians, comes as the ACCC shared its final report from the inquiry, including 20 recommendations for governments and supermarkets to better the outcomes of customers and suppliers.
Canstar Blue’s research shows 23% of Aussies are a lot more cautious when shopping at major supermarkets, while 17% admitted they’re choosing to shop from them less frequently.
However, just over one in three (36%) admitted that the legal inquiry didn’t change where they shopped, and 11% weren’t even aware of it.
| Has the legal action against Woolworths or Coles changed how you shop with them? | |
| Yes, I am more cautious about their promotions but still shop there | 23% |
| Yes, I shop less frequently at the two big supermarkets | 17% |
| Yes, I now don’t shop at the two big supermarkets | 3% |
| No, it didn’t make me change where I shopped | 36% |
| No, I wasn’t aware of the legal action | 11% |
| No, I don’t have any other supermarket options, but would change if I could | 9% |
| I don’t shop at the two big supermarkets so it hasn’t impacted me | 1% |
| Source: Canstar Blue | |
How the ACCC inquiry recommendations could affect the way you shop
Should the recommendations focused on improving consumer experience and outcomes be applied, the opportunities for Aussies to better manage their grocery shopping budgets could vastly increase.
The report’s second recommendation is for large supermarkets such as ALDI, Coles and Woolworths to be required to publish pricing on their websites, and for smaller supermarkets to ensure pricing is published on products in-store. With better access to supermarket pricing, Australians can compare and shop around much more easily.
Additionally, recommendation four is that supermarkets be subject to minimum information requirements for discount promotions. With more transparency of information, shoppers will be able to better understand whether they’re truly getting value out of their everyday shop.
How shopping around could help you save
Regardless of how supermarkets are promoting their products, shoppers can and should be taking the time to compare prices to know they’re getting a good deal, even if that means shopping at more than one supermarket.
Research from Canstar Blue shows that some Australians are already doing their supermarket shop across different stores, with 35% of people are splitting their grocery shopping between stores to maximise their savings.
| What we know about Australian supermarket shoppers: |
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| Source: Canstar Blue |
Canstar Blue spokesperson, Eden Radford, says, “While plenty of us may have been shocked by what the ACCC inquiry revealed, it did serve as a great reminder that the only way to know you truly are getting a good deal is by knowing your prices and shopping around.
“Canstar Blue’s survey has shown that while just over a third of shoppers didn’t seem to bat an eyelid over the inquiry’s findings, almost a quarter believed it was enough to take a critical eye over any promotions they saw, and enough for 17 percent of Aussies to take their shopping list elsewhere.
“Australians shouldn’t settle for anything less than what they truly believe is great value when it comes to their weekly shop.
“The next time you’re heading to the supermarket, take a quick look at your list and compare prices to see where you could get a better deal.”
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