In decades past, Australian families would make a trip to the high street to pick up their groceries from the local butcher, baker and greengrocer. Nowadays though consumers are spoilt for choice, with several big-name supermarket chains all competing for your custom.
From cheaper home brand goods to more expensive well-known brands, and what seems like a never-ending streams of deals and special offers, it can be difficult to figure out where your hard-earned dollars will stretch the furthest, or even just which product will perform the best.
You don’t have to wonder any longer though as consumer advocacy group CHOICE has put together a list of the best supermarket buys, from pantry staples such as tea, coffee and peanut butter to household goods such as toilet paper and cleaning products.
If you’re looking to buy the best instant coffee then CHOICE recommends Coles’ own-brand Fairtrade Freeze Dried Coffee. The product received an overall score of 74 per cent and was highlighted as the cheapest option of the top five costing just $4.
Or, if you’re a tea drinker, the prize for best-tasting brew went to Taylor’s of Harrogate Yorkshire Tea (Proper Black Tea), which beat out more pricey options like Madura English Breakfast and T2 English Breakfast. While the teabags may not be the cheapest option on the market, costing $0.05 per bag on average, Yorkshire Tea scored 80 per cent overall and emerged as one of the brands people would be most likely to swap their existing favourite tea for.
Community Co’s A Squeeze Of Tomato Sauce was crowned the best ketchup, out of 22 supermarket options, beating out the likes of Heinz, Masterfoods and Rosella. While the best peanut butter was not a big name like Kraft or Bega, but Aldi’s Bramwells Peanut Butter Smooth, which scored an impressive 84 per cent overall.
In recent months toilet paper became a hot commodity as Aussies rushed to stock up amid the emerging Covid-19 pandemic, but according to CHOICE you’re not getting the most for your money unless you’re buying Sorbent’s 4 pack of Gold 3 Ply Skin Comfort (with Vitamin E). The product scored an overall expert rating of 80 per cent, as well an impressive 90 per cent when it comes to softness and will set you back just $0.49 per sheet.
Sticking with household goods, according to CHOICE the best laundry detergent is Omo with A Touch of Comfort Inspired Freshness Front. And when it comes to dishwashing liquids, Morning Fresh Ultra Concentrate Ultimate Dishwashing Liquid is pick of the bunch with an expert rating of 81 per cent.
Canstar Blue also completed a little supermarket test of its own recently, pitting roast chooks on sale at IGA, Coles, Woolworths and Costco against each other – and it was IGA’s offering that came out on top, bagging a near perfect score.
To find out which stores offer the best combination of taste and value, the comparison website asked almost 2,000 Aussies to compare and rate any supermarket roast chickens they’ve purchased and eaten in the past three months on taste, freshness, packaging design, value for money and overall satisfaction.
IGA’s roast chooks came out on top, scoring full marks for taste, freshness, packaging design and overall satisfaction. It also got a solid four stars for value for money. Costco came in second place, with Woolies and Coles following behind in third and fourth respectively.