Discover Australia's Most Affordable Supermarket for Groceries: Choice's Latest Findings

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Aldi has once again come out on top as the supermarket with the cheapest groceries, according to a new comparison of a basket of products.

Consumer group Choice found a basket of 20 items cost $72.41 at Aldi, $98.98 at Woolworths, $100.04 at Coles and $109.25 at IGA, excluding specials.

This represented “quite a significant gap” between Aldi and the second-cheapest store, Woolworths, Choice editorial director Mark Serrels said.

The most recent government-supported supermarket survey has shifted its spotlight to holiday essentials for entertaining, alongside the usual grocery staples, as Christmas approaches.

The basket contained items like milk, Weetbix, dried apples, carrots, bananas, chicken breast fillets, cherry tomatoes, bagged mixed salad, salted peanuts, plus other products for a festive gathering such as mineral water, crackers, camembert, stuffed olives and more.

In a comparison of seven staple items—apples, bananas, strawberries, carrots, Weetbix, milk, and chicken breast fillets—Aldi emerged as the most affordable option at a total of $31.41, without considering discounts. Following closely were Woolworths at $32.20, Coles at $33.16, and IGA, which was notably higher at $39.20.

As confirmed by Choice’s latest supermarket analysis, Aldi once again holds its position as Australia’s most economical grocery provider.

Even when accounting for promotional offers, Aldi maintained its lead, with the same basket of goods costing $72.41, unchanged by any specials. In comparison, Woolworths’ basket with discounts was priced at $93.17, Coles at $100.04, and IGA at $105.38.

Choice noted, “Opting for more store-brand items can reduce expenses, yet it is common for consumers to select national brands, especially when hosting gatherings.”

To determine which supermarket had the freshest produce, the group also compared the freshness of mixed lettuce two days after buying across all four supermarkets.

Choice said it can’t answer the question for every item, but looked at lettuce because it shows signs of decay quickly.

Coles came out on top, with 77 per cent of its mystery shoppers saying its lettuce leaves were fresh after two days. Woolworths, IGA and Aldi followed respectively.

“In this survey, there was some evidence of decay in the mixed lettuce purchased at all supermarkets, but Coles ultimately received the highest score for freshness,” Serrels said.

Choice advised shoppers hoping to reduce their costs to shop around, check unit pricing, and opt for cheaper alternatives like meat cuts, frozen fruit and vegetables, and “imperfect” ranges.