# Who is cheaper for groceries Australia or UK



## louiseb

I often have a good whinge about the prices of things here in Australia, with reason. I have compiled a list of the both the daily essentials to the must have,s these prices are taken from major supermarkets here in Australia and major supermarkets in the UK. The prices also include supermarket brands. Take a look and tell me what you think. 

*Daily needs; Australia Coles supermarket*
Abbotts Village Bakery Bread Grainy Wholemeal 850g  $04.99
Abbotts Village Bakery Bread White Rustic 750g  $04.99
Coles Bakery Baguette White Sourdough  500g  $04.00

Lipton Tea Bags Black 200 pack $09.66
Dilmah Tea Bags English Breakfast 100 pack $09.37
PG Tips Pyramid Tea Bags 160s 500g  $19.37
Twinings Classics Tea Bags Lady Grey 10 pack $02.28 
Twinings Tea Bags Australian Afternoon 100 pack $10.95
Coles Tea Bags Green 50 pack $02.50

Coles Beef Chuck Casserole Steak approx. 1.1kg  $09.97
Coles Beef Eye Fillet Steak approx. 600g $23.99
Harvey Beef Sirloin Roast Marinated 1kg  $12.99

Coles Bacon Pan Size Rindless 600g  $09.77 
Coles Bacon Streaky 200g  $04.34
Coles Brand Pork Easy Carve Shoulder Roast approx. 2.1kg $19.95

Coles Brand Lamb Leg Roast approx. 2.2kg $23.74
Coles Brand Lamb Leg Steak approx. 475g $09.50
Coles Lamb Cutlets approx. 650g $20.80

British Sausages Pork Thick 500g $05.29
British Sausages Pork Thick 500g $05.29
British Sausages Beef Thin BBQ 1kg $06.30

Broccoli Baby 1 bunch ( and it is a small bunch) $02.98
Cabbage Drumhead Whole 1 each $02.98
Cabbage Savoy Whole 1 each $04.99
Capsicum 3 Colour Prepacked 500g $10.99
Capsicum Yellow loose approx. 210g EACH $03.15
Carrots Prepacked 1kg $01.74
Cauliflower Whole 1 EACH small $05.98 
Corn Sweet 4 pack $04.98
Mushrooms Brown Sliced Prepacked 200g $04,98
Onions Brown Prepacked 1.5kg  $02.68
Potatoes Baking Roasting Prepacked 2kg $04.00
Potatoes Carisma Washed Prepacked 2kg $06.98
Potatoes Mashing Prepacked 2kg $06.98
Potatoes Washed Prepacked 3kg $08.98

Coles Cheese Cream Spreadable Lite 250g $11.92 kg
Coles Cheese Portions Cheddar Australian Mild 120g $36.17 kg
Coles Cheese Reggiano Parmigiano 250g $56.44 kg
Coles Cheese Sticks Cheddar Tasty 160g $27.13 kg
Coles Cheese Wensleydale with Cranberry 200g $29.85 kg

*Daily needs Asda UK*
Warburtons Farmhouse White Loaf (400g) £00.89p
Warburtons Toastie White (800g) £01.00
ASDA Smart...White Medium Loaf (800g) £00.50p
Kingsmill Great Everyday Thick Slice (800) £01.00

Yorkshire Tea 240 Tea Bags £04.00
ASDA Smart... 80 Tea Bags £00.27p
Tetley pyramid Tea Bags 240PK £05.78
Twinings Earl Grey 100 Tea Bags £03.50
Decaff Earl Grey 100 Tea Bags £02.13

2 FOR £7 on any of the following meats; Check the weights
Butchers Selection Beef Stewing Steak (571g) £03,70each
Butchers S...Ribeye Steak £03.70each
This list goes on and on it includes chickens, pork, beef, any meats available on this daily offer of 2 for 7 pounds All weights are min 500g

3 FOR £10 on any of the following meats, fish check the weight
Butchers Selection Pork Loin Steaks (660g) £04.00
Butchers Selection 3 Chicken Fillets (490g) £04.00
Smoked Gammon Steaks (530g) £04.00
ASDA Scottish Smoked Salmon £04.00
Butchers Selection Lamb Leg Steak Boneless (310g) £04,00

Butchers Selection Lamb Leg Bone In Joint £07.00kg
Butchers Selection Lamb Cutlet (1kg) £12.47kg
Butchers Selection Lamb Leg Steak Boneless £12.90kg

ASDA SmartPrice Cooking Bacon (500g) £0.81
(£1.62 per 1kg)

Butchers Selection Smoked Thick Cut Back Bacon(530g) £4.00
(£7.55 per 1kg) or 3 For £10

Unsmoked Gammon Roasting Joint (750g)  £4.00
(£5.33 per 1kg)

Easy Carve Beef Joint (By Weight) £7.00kg
Butchers Selection Beef Roasting Joint £5.00kg
ASDA Pork Steaks (500g) £2.00kg
ASDA Lean Minced Beef Steak (454g) £2.50

ASDA Baby New Potatoes (1kg) £1.00
ASDA Brown Onions (1.1kg) £1.00
ASDA Baby Plum Tomatoes (250g) £1.00
2 FOR £2.00 
ASDA Extra Special Parsnips Baby (250g) £1.20
ASDA Parsnips (By Weight) £1.49/kg
ASDA Mushroom £2.68/kg
ASDA Broccoli (600g) Feeds a family not a budgie £1.50
ASDA Cauliflower Extra Large £2,50

Cheese Singles Light 10 (200g) £1.00
Cheddar Grated (500g) £2.12
Cheddar Mature White (830g) £4.00
Grated Parmesan (100g) £2.00
ASDA Wensleydale with Cranberry(225g) £2.00
CHEESE - 2 FOR £3 On all varieties of cheeses mixed with fruits.

Carlsberg Lager (20x440) 20 cans of 440ml £12.00 
Smirnoff Vodka (50cl) £11.00
Foster's Lager (12x440) (crap lager) £10.00
Corona Extra Lager (12x330) £12.00
Guinness Draught Cans (18x440) £18.00

bottles of spirits whisky,s vodka, gin, ect start at £7.00

Now the List can go on and on especially when it comes to cleaning products, i have taken Coles and Asda im sure there are cheaper shops than Coles but i have used the same level of supermarkets. Asda is not the cheapest in UK and neither is Coles, but for comparison im sure now most will understand why the Expats find it hard to live here when comparing prices.

PLEASE DO NOTE THE PRICE OF TETLEYS TEA BAGS IN COLES.
All prices were found from there online shopping website links provided below.

https://www.colesonline.com.au/weba...0052&catalogId=10001&viewName=HomePageDisplay

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## Lindaa

Considering that £10 equals $15, I actually don't find the price difference that extreme. Also, a fair few of the products you've compared you'll definitely find cheaper options at Coles (I know nothing about the other store though). 

Now, don't get me wrong, I agree that all over it is more expensive and I can understand how that might come as a shock if you're not at all prepared. No question there.

The thing is, however, that I think stuff like fruit and vegetables, for example, are even more subject to season than the UK, and I've seen prices vary GREATLY between when something is in season and not. Strawberries, for example cost $3-4 for two 500g containers when they're in season, but now they're at $8 for just one. Huge difference. It's the same with avocados - when they're in season they go at about $1-2. Or $4 for an entire net at a farmer's market. 

Additionally, stuff such as the PG Tips tea-bags... well, I assume this is a UK product? Naturally it won't be as cheap other places. In Norway, Jarlsberg cheese is the same price as any other cheese, but in Australia it's just rediculously expensive! I'm still happy I can get it at all though, for when I get the urge and can splurge a little  I never expected it to be the same price. 

And as for the Tetley's tea, it cost $7.79 for 200 bags at Coles (just checked online) - compared to the UK where you get 240 bags for £5,78 (which equals $8.80). So it's basically the same price.

As for the meat though... wow. That's just rediculously cheap in the UK!


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## Lindaa

And I'd also like to add that actually I think you're quite lucky when coming from the UK as a LOT of the brands you're used to are also the brands you'll find in Australia - and some of them (but definitely not all, as seen with the PG tips) are sold at about the same price as well, or at least not extreme price differences. 

For me, there's barely one single brand that I'm used to even available. And the few that are - cost without exception at least 3 times more than what I'm used to.

EDIT: That being said, that might be part of the problem as well though, as brands you consider basic in the UK might be considered exclusive in Australia.


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## louiseb

When you compare the prices of fruit and veg in Australia especially the market gardens like lets say the spud shed who grow there own fruit and veg its terribly expensive, compared to the UK seasonal or not, i have used fruit and veg that are seasonal in Australia and available against to veg thats not in season in the UK but still available, also taking into consideration the fuel cost,s of things in the UK fuel is terrible over there its so expensive. As far as the steak believe it or not allot of the steak and lamb is from new zealand, Scotland and Australia so import and transport has to be added but still its far cheaper. When you consider a shop of lets say 300 dollars and you see what you actually get its nothing at all, but when one considers what you get in sterling converted £191,76 its a hell of allot more value in actual fact you could do a bloody good shop with that amount of money. Also any UK citizen will tell you that this supermarket on a Saturday night reduces all meats and sweets, bread deli ect to half price. I just fell that the Australians are really being ripped off, why should Australian meat, beef be more expensive here than the uk just an example.


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## louiseb

Lindaa said:


> And I'd also like to add that actually I think you're quite lucky when coming from the UK as a LOT of the brands you're used to are also the brands you'll find in Australia - and some of them (but definitely not all, as seen with the PG tips) are sold at about the same price as well, or at least not extreme price differences.
> 
> For me, there's barely one single brand that I'm used to even available. And the few that are - cost without exception at least 3 times more than what I'm used to.
> 
> EDIT: That being said, that might be part of the problem as well though, as brands you consider basic in the UK might be considered exclusive in Australia.


As for the brand names i can buy a tin of coles crushed tomato,s ( i bought them yesterday) for 89p but a tine of Asda crushed toms are only 6p i understand that heinz baked beans for example is classed as a more exclusive brand here although i did pick them up yesterday on special for $1.00 lol now that was a bargain.


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## Lindaa

As I said, I'm not saying there's not a difference, I'm just saying that it's not as extreme as it might seem at first glance. 

Now, I understand that you live in Perth as well, which unfortunately I've heard is a bit more expensive on average than Brisbane where I've been living. So there's that.

However, I've never bought groceries for $300 in one go in Australia. When I arrived the first time and decided to stock up on ALL the basics I think I spent about $120. I was very conscious of price though, and that was just for me. Still, I got quite a lot of stuff for that amount of money.

As to the meat - yeah... that's just really, really cheap in the UK in my opinion. I've never seen it that cheap anywhere else in Europe, I think. I have no idea how the prices can be that low compared to Australia, so I can imagine that must take some getting used to! 

As I've mentioned I'm from Norway, and for me grocery shopping in Australia is actually cheaper than what I'm used to (not all products, but over all), so I've not experienced that jaw-dropping realization when you go to pay and it's just rediculous amounts compared to what you expected. So I can only imagine how that would feel a bit devastating.

I've never been to a spud shed, but shop a lot at food markets in Brisbane and overall they're both better quality and a lot cheaper than Coles ($1-2 cauliflower and broccoli etc.), so again that seems to be a regional thing. Unfortunately.


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## Lindaa

You know, talking about import and export... we have that same situation in Norway, actually! We export a lot of products at a lot less than they're sold for in Norway. A lot of people have complained about it and I believe one of the reasons (that I've heard) for them doing it is that they consider the Norwegian economy to be stronger, and that exporting at a lower price is considered contributing to the European/world economy, so some of the things that are exported hardly bring in any money. 

I haven't looked into it or anything, but it totally sounds like something our goverment, at least, would come up with.


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## rofnac25

The UK is definately cheaper for groceries in my opinion. 

I think you're being a little unfair though for example you're comparing Abbotts bread and Coles Fresh Bakery to ASDA smart price... You can buy Coles homebrand bread for $1 just so you know.

Also with your comparison of ASDA i wouldnt say its on par with Coles - I wouldnt go near ASDA's own brand...a better comparison would be Waitrose / Tesco / Sainsbury's.

I think the meat is better quality out here and the majority of it is sourced from Australia unlike the UK (horse meat *cough* *cough*). 

As with the vegies, most of the UK's are imported on the cheap - Australia tends to take pride in showcasing that all their produce is all homegrown (damn you asapargus I can never get thee) 

So YES Australia is more expensive - but does have cheaper solutions if you dont want to pay the big bucks in Coles / Wooly's (I know heaps of people that shop in 3-4+ locations to get their weekly things). Although the quality of the vegies and fruit out here far surpass the likes of ASDA for example in my opinion and I like the fact that my money spent here is helping Aussie farmers and not going into the back pockets of east europe and fat cats that pay for foreign farmers a 1/5 of what they sell it for.

I miss the variety of the UK though but I've been out here 2.5 years - you get use to it - doesnt really bother me anymore


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## louiseb

rofnac25 said:


> The UK is definately cheaper for groceries in my opinion.
> 
> I think you're being a little unfair though for example you're comparing Abbotts bread and Coles Fresh Bakery to ASDA smart price... You can buy Coles homebrand bread for $1 just so you know.
> 
> Also with your comparison of ASDA i wouldnt say its on par with Coles - I wouldnt go near ASDA's own brand...a better comparison would be Waitrose / Tesco / Sainsbury's.
> 
> I think the meat is better quality out here and the majority of it is sourced from Australia unlike the UK (horse meat *cough* *cough*).
> 
> As with the vegies, most of the UK's are imported on the cheap - Australia tends to take pride in showcasing that all their produce is all homegrown (damn you asapargus I can never get thee)
> 
> So YES Australia is more expensive - but does have cheaper solutions if you dont want to pay the big bucks in Coles / Wooly's (I know heaps of people that shop in 3-4+ locations to get their weekly things). Although the quality of the vegies and fruit out here far surpass the likes of ASDA for example in my opinion and I like the fact that my money spent here is helping Aussie farmers and not going into the back pockets of east europe and fat cats that pay for foreign farmers a 1/5 of what they sell it for.
> 
> I miss the variety of the UK though but I've been out here 2.5 years - you get use to it - doesnt really bother me anymore


I actually chose to use Asda because they are middle of the road when prices come into play waitrose has some very good quality products and there very cheap. Also when you look at tesco,s its much much cheaper especially on meats and fresh produce, the point i was trying to make ( as we had another thread on this subject) was that something grown locally should be less expensive and as you have stated asda import there veg so realistically it should be cheaper. I couldnt agree more on buying local produce its the one thing i miss in Malta everything was locally grown. Thunbs up to supporting the farmers, but as you know you never find a poor farmer lol.

Oh the spud shed ( thats what they call in W/A dont know if its the same else where) they sell asparagus, very expensive though but as i have learnt you have to pay the prices here.


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## louiseb

What is this thing about horse meat in the uk lol im baffled again.


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## rofnac25

Have you been living under a rock? lol

2013 meat adulteration scandal - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


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