Woolworths Prices Rise While Coles And Aldi Become Cheaper: Report

A recent report has found that shoppers are paying more for groceries at Woolworths compared to a year ago, while the same items at Coles and Aldi have become more affordable.

The government-funded report by consumer advocacy group Choice found that the prices of 14 common grocery items at Coles and Aldi have dropped since the first quarterly report was released, both with and without discounts.

Choice has been monitoring grocery prices at Australian supermarkets since March last year.

Coles and Aldi prices drop

Even without discounts, Choice found that prices at Coles and Aldi went down, while Woolworths experienced a small increase. Aldi's grocery prices remained mostly the same from March to December last year, dropping by just 0.3%.

At the same time, the cost of a similar basket on special at Coles decreased by 2.5%. Meanwhile, in March 2024, the price of a grocery basket with specials at Woolworths was AU$64.93, which increased to AU$67.34 by December 2024, reflecting a 3.7% rise. Without specials, the price went up from AU$68.58 to AU$69.63, marking a 1.5% increase.

Grocery price trends

At Coles, a basket with specials cost AU$68.52 in March 2024 but dropped to AU$66.84 by December 2024, showing a 2.5% decrease. Without specials, the price also fell from AU$69.33 to AU$67.84, a decline of 2.1%.

Aldi's grocery prices remained mostly stable. A basket with or without specials cost AU$51.51 in March 2024 and slightly decreased to AU$51.36 by December 2024, reflecting a minimal 0.3% drop.

"Coles and Woolworths pricing has been pretty close, I think it was 75 cents without specials between the baskets that we did the first time, whereas that's now AU$1.79," Choice CEO Ashley de Silva said. "It's still not a huge difference, but it certainly has shifted in that time."

He added, "We have always reported each quarter the gaps between them, but I think this is the most pronounced that that gap has been. While the difference doesn't seem that much, over a year of weekly shops, the difference would add up to more than AU$90."

ACCC calls for greater transparency

The latest supermarket price report follows an inquiry by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) into the country's supermarket sector. The ACCC made 20 recommendations, including improving price and promotion transparency, to help consumers make informed choices.

Choice supports these recommendations, emphasizing the need for supermarkets to provide clearer information on discounts and unit prices. The report highlights that without enforcement, supermarkets are unlikely to implement these changes on their own.

More transparency could increase competition and ensure consumers have accurate pricing details for better decision-making.