What’s Australia’s favourite supermarket?

Finder has released its best supermarket brands for 2023, and there may be some surprises for consumers.

The Finder Retail Awards ranks Australia’s favourite brands across more than 100 categories from 30,000 customer surveys.

Drumroll, please, Australia’s favourite supermarket chain is Coles, followed by Aldi and Woolworths. IGA doesn’t even rate a mention. Harsh.

Finder says Coles was recommended by 91 per cent of surveyed customers.

This result would be a surprise to many as Canstar has rated Aldi the best supermarket for five years running but is yet to release its latest rankings.

In an interesting twist, Aldi also won Finder’s best supermarket bakery. It’s interesting because Aldi makes a point of not having bakeries within the supermarket, unlike the big two chains. Everything is baked off-site. Customers were surveyed for value, taste and freshness, with 91 per cent of respondents saying they would recommend the brand.

The only independent award winner was Harris Farm Markets, which won best supermarket deli, best fresh vegetables and best fresh fruit.

Woolworths won best supermarket ham and hot chicken. Coles also won best supermarket lamb.

Aldi won best fresh seafood, raw chicken and pork.

Trolley turn-offs

What have you given up buying with the cost-of-living increases?

An Australian Reddit post has attracted more than 1000 comments with people laying bare the grocery items they have given up buying.

Common items include potato chips, salmon, strawberries, beef, sliced cheese. More luxury-type items include hair dye, protein bars, razor blades and jam doughnuts.

This week’s best deals

IGA

Sensible: San Remo Pasta varieties, $2.50, save 75c. Love San Remo pasta. The Italian style without the Italian pasta air miles. A 100 per cent Australian-owned company as well.  

Indulgence: Country Delight snowballs, eight pack $2.99, save $1.50. This is one of those delightful brands you can only find in IGAs. And who doesn’t like a snowball?

See the catalogue here.

Woolworths

Sensible: Sanitarium Up and Go, six pack, half price, $4.92. Handy to have when you don’t have time to have a meal. Fills you up fast when you are on the go.

Indulgence: Golden Bakery Crumpets, half price, $2.20. Is it even winter if you don’t have at least one pack of these over the colder months. Best served with so much butter it drips through the bottom.

See the catalogue here.

Coles

Sensible: Green zucchini, $4.90/kg. Zucchini should be a more famous vegetable and is vastly underrated in the order of green things. You can roast it, grill it, eat it fresh and turn it into pasta. It goes well as a stand-alone vegetable or as part of a recipe. Is there a zucchini board? They should hire me.

Indulgence: Vanish Gold Pro Stain Remover Powder, half price, $21. This really is the best in-wash and soaker stain remover but it is expensive compared to other brands. Half price makes it worth it.

See the catalogue here.

Aldi

Sensible: Jindurra Station gravy beef, $16.99/kg. Frankly, Aldi meat can go either way. Sometimes good, sometimes wish you hadn’t paid for it. However, as you need to slow cook gravy beef in stews or casseroles anyway, the cooking method should make up for any lack of quality.

Indulgence: Toy sale. Lots of lovely wooden and interactive toys from dolls house furniture to construction kits. Priced from $9.99. The big chains have worked out a mid-year toy sale – as well as the usual Christmas sales – just means we spend more. Damn it, it works.

See the catalogue here.

What’s your favourite supermarket? Have you stopped buying something at the supermarket because of the cost? Why not share your experience in the comments section below?

Also read: What does this study tell you about grapes?