According to Checkpoint’s latest series, Crunching the Numbers, the weekly shop prices at Countdown and PAK’n SAVE have significantly increased since 2022, a matter of concern for all of us.
A household of four with three teenagers costs $200, while a single pensioner pays $100 a week. For over two years, Checkpoint has tracked the price of 36 supermarket items in the same area.
Shoppers reported leaving products out of their trolleys, buying fruit and vegetables at local greengrocers, or trying to buy in bulk. Seasonal veggies like carrots and cauliflower were cheaper, while cheese and milk remained the same or slightly less expensive. However, most items on the shopping list cost more, which is stacked up for shoppers.
Washing and cleaning products were consistently more expensive, with a 48-pack of Finish dishwashing tablets costing $36 at Countdown Greenlane, $11 more than in 2022. Persil-sensitive washing powder jumped from $22 at both supermarkets in 2022 to $35 at Countdown and $28 at PAK’n SAVE.
A 50-box of Twinning’s Earl Grey tea more than doubled in price at PAK’n SAVE to $7.70. Staples like rice, noodles, canned tomatoes, and beans were more expensive at both stores. One kg of Fresh and Fruity plain yoghurt doubled to $7.40 at Countdown.
The humble mince was now $14.99 a kg at PAK’n SAVE; at Countdown, it was up from 14.90 in 2022 to $16.90. Some shoppers said it had become a luxury they could not afford, as they could not afford C-grade meat.
Flour and sugar were also more expensive, with Countdown-branded barn eggs costing up to $9 and PAK’n SAVE’s cheapest option being $7.99. Butter was no longer an affordable staple, with the cheapest option at both stores costing over $6.
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