The cheapest Aussie supermarket to do the Christmas shop at revealed

With Christmas less than two weeks away, many families across Australia are rushing to finalise everything for their festive celebrations. It can be an expensive time of the year, with Aussies expected to blow more than $51 billion this holiday season.

Consumer organisation Choice has revealed which Aussie supermarket is the cheapest to buy an array of Christmas foods, drinks, decorations and gifts from this year.

Choice carried out a price spot-check on 22 popular Christmas items at the major Australian supermarkets. A total of 22 items were included in the shop including everything from Christmas crackers to fairy lights and Christmas cards and chocolates to nuts, thickened cream and brandy snaps and even Christmas lunch favourites such as Australian tiger prawns, Christmas pudding, fruit mince pies and ham and turkey. Other items included boxes of chocolates, tinsel, gift wrap, brie and frozen raspberries.

“We created a shopping list of 22 items based on last year’s list, adding and subtracting to take into account availability on the day we shopped,” Choice said. “We then compared Aldi’s prices in-store for these items with the cheapest option of the equivalent pack size or quantity available through the Coles and Woolworths online shopping sites.”

For fairness, prices were collected on the same day. Choice found that Aldi was actually the cheapest store for Christmas goods, with prices around 15 per cent cheaper than the nearest competitor. The Christmas shop cost $175.16 at Aldi.

Next was Coles at $205.24, while Woolworths finished third at $207.30. The research found that the gap between the three supermarkets had actually closed from previous years, with each store offering similar prices in 2018.

It’s not the first time Aldi has been a hit with Australian shoppers. Last month, the discount supermarket beat Coles and Woolworths to be crowned Canstar Blue’s best supermarket for meat.

Read more: Aussie shoppers crown Aldi best supermarket for meat

The major chain topped this year’s Supermarket Meat Awards, thrashing competitors across all four meat categories: beef, pork, chicken and lamb. Measuring overall satisfactions, as well as freshness, taste and value for money, the 2,273 Australians surveyed undeniably showed their support for the store.

“It is surprising to see one supermarket chain dominate,” Canstar Blue Editor Simon Downes told Starts at 60. “But it speaks volumes about how Aldi continues to exceed the expectations of customers.”

Aussie shoppers were more likely to choose quality over price, with 78 per cent of customers admitting they’d switch to a different supermarket if there was a notable difference in meat quality.

Meanwhile, Australia’s 2019 Product of the Year winners were also announced last month, with a number of brand-name items taking home the top prize.

Coles won big with its Finest Sourdough and Pane Di Casa range taking out the top bakery and brioche prize, its Ultimate 40 Choc Brownie winning best biscuit, cookie or slice, the Ultimate Mini Apple and Cherry pies taking the top spot for cakes and pies and its Spinach, Ricotta and Fetta Rolls and Beef and Onion Party Sausage Rolls taking out the heat and eat prize.

Read more: Australia’s 2019 Product of the Year winners announced

Aldi products also claimed a number of titles across a range of categories including wins for its brand of Organic Kombucha, Choceur Caramel Filled Chocolates, First Aid Strips, Has No Gluten Free Bars, Oh SO Natural Super Food Powders and Green Action Household Cleaners winning big.

Where will you do your Christmas shopping? Which supermarket is your favourite to shop at?