British supermarkets vs Australian supermarkets

[Red Rose]

Do you have a preference and if so why?

As a side note, I finally got round to getting a Tesco clubcard. Used it today and my £38 shop got reduced to £31. I couldn't believe it. I should've got one years ago.

 

[newjez]

3 hours ago, Red Rose said:

Do you have a preference and if so why?

As a side note, I finally got round to getting a Tesco clubcard. Used it today and my £38 shop got reduced to £31. I couldn't believe it. I should've got one years ago.

 

Twenty years ago I think there was a huge difference. I was blown away by the UK super markets. So much variety, it was amazing.

Can't speak for the rest of Australia, but Perth supermarkets have improved incredibly.

Not sure what the internet deliveries are like now in Perth. We get all our shopping delivered now. I haven't been to a supermarket in over a year.

But we are planning a trip to Lidl soon.

[Loopylu]

4 hours ago, Red Rose said:

Do you have a preference and if so why?

As a side note, I finally got round to getting a Tesco clubcard. Used it today and my £38 shop got reduced to £31. I couldn't believe it. I should've got one years ago.

 

I'm currently visiting from Wales from Qld as I got an exemption to leave as my father is very ill.  I have been like a kid in a sweet shop in the supermarkets.  I just wander round gawping at the choice of products available compared to Woolies, Coles, Aldi or IGA.  I suppose the larger population can justify the variety... And the prices are so much cheaper for fresh produce. 

So glad I am here when purple sprouting (one of my favourite vegetables not available in Australia) is in season!

I saved 6 quid just on a bottle of rhubarb and ginger gin at Tesco by using my parents' Club Card that I loaded to my Stocard App.

Edited April 2, 2021 by Loopylu

[AliQ]

3 hours ago, Loopylu said:

I'm currently visiting from Wales from Qld as I got an exemption to leave as my father is very ill.  I have been like a kid in a sweet shop in the supermarkets.  I just wander round gawping at the choice of products available compared to Woolies, Coles, Aldi or IGA.  I suppose the larger population can justify the variety... And the prices are so much cheaper for fresh produce. 

So glad I am here when purple sprouting (one of my favourite vegetables not available in Australia) is in season!

I saved 6 quid just on a bottle of rhubarb and ginger gin at Tesco by using my parents' Club Card that I loaded to my Stocard App.

I'm feeling very jealous !

In my opinion, UK supermarkets are far far superior to those over here. 

Enjoy whilst you are there

[Marisawright]

Yes, the UK wins hands-down on supermarkets IMO

[Toots]

Agree with the above posters.  I used to go to Waitrose when I stayed with my sister in London.  Now that is an excellent supermarket.  We don't even have an Aldi in Tasmania.    I can't say however that supermarket shopping anywhere makes me excited especially at Coles and Woolies.

[Quoll]

Oh how I miss Waitrose!!!! 

[Wanderer Returns]

There's absolutely no comparison - UK supermarkets win hands down. 20 years ago I'd say they were on a par, but Coles and Woolies are exactly the same as they were when I first visited Australia as a backpacker. There's been no evolution here - apart from the arrival of Aldi - which is a shadow of it's European counterpart (the prices are quite good though). The new Lidls in the UK are amazing in terms of quality and price. Just before we left we found we had started doing most of our shopping at Lidle, whereas I'd been loyal to Tesco for decades.

I reckon it's more of a case that the UK has evolved in that respect because if you travel to most European countries, their supermarkets can be pretty average too. I think France is the only country that comes close to the UK - Italy isn't too bad either. Germany, Austria and Switzerland are just plain awful - it's just sausages, chocolate and cheese!  

[MacGyver]

I also thought UK supermarkets were superior (and cheaper) than those in Australia, until I returned to Scotland for a spell. Once I was earning the £ again I felt the prices were very similar relative to wages and I disliked the amount of plastic wrap used on fruit and veg in the UK, so wasteful.

With the introduction of Aldi and Spudshed (WA) I think coles and woolies have had to up their game. I can’t buy a tv in the supermarkets here, but I now tend to think the produce is of a higher quality (and often more local produce) than the produce on sale in tesco. 

Marks and Spencer’s is the exception, I would never buy a weekly shop in marks when I lived in Scotland but some of their products are fantastic and I do miss shopping there.

[Skani]

9 hours ago, Loopylu said:

So glad I am here when purple sprouting (one of my favourite vegetables not available in Australia) is in season!

It's certainly available  (and grown) in Tasmania.  Maybe it doesn't transport  as well as the green variety  broccoli?

[Toots]

10 hours ago, Loopylu said:

I'm currently visiting from Wales from Qld as I got an exemption to leave as my father is very ill.  I have been like a kid in a sweet shop in the supermarkets.  I just wander round gawping at the choice of products available compared to Woolies, Coles, Aldi or IGA.  I suppose the larger population can justify the variety... And the prices are so much cheaper for fresh produce. 

So glad I am here when purple sprouting (one of my favourite vegetables not available in Australia) is in season!

I saved 6 quid just on a bottle of rhubarb and ginger gin at Tesco by using my parents' Club Card that I loaded to my Stocard App.

Purple sprouting what?  Do you mean broccoli?  As Skani said it is freely available in Tassie when in season.  Being a non-meat eater I'm more than happy with the veggies available here.  Just not fussed about the supermarkets.

[ali]

I think supermarkets here have improved from when I first visited in 2005 but the variety and one stop shopping in the UK is hard to beat (having said that, my hubby did comment "how many different tins of beans do you need to choose from because you always get the same ones".

My local IGA has an exceptional  variety of veg and we have a large veggie market nearby.  We get our car insurance from Woolies (was the cheapest) and get 10% discount each month on one of our shopping bills.

[Toots]

2 hours ago, MacGyver said:

I also thought UK supermarkets were superior (and cheaper) than those in Australia, until I returned to Scotland for a spell. Once I was earning the £ again I felt the prices were very similar relative to wages and I disliked the amount of plastic wrap used on fruit and veg in the UK, so wasteful.

With the introduction of Aldi and Spudshed (WA) I think coles and woolies have had to up their game. I can’t buy a tv in the supermarkets here, but I now tend to think the produce is of a higher quality (and often more local produce) than the produce on sale in tesco. 

Marks and Spencer’s is the exception, I would never buy a weekly shop in marks when I lived in Scotland but some of their products are fantastic and I do miss shopping there.

I was last in the UK 5 years ago and staying in SW Scotland.  There was only a Tesco supermarket in the area and it certainly wasn't too flash and I didn't think the prices were very different to here.  If you wanted more choice at a different supermarket it meant a drive of 32 miles so it all depends on where you live in the UK.  

Agree about M&S foodhall.  Top stuff.  Again there was one just around the corner from where my sister lived in London plus Waitrose and Asda so spoilt for choice really.  Not like that where I was staying in Scotland.  Mind you the beautiful scenery more than make up for that.  

[Bulya]

Good food in Australia isn’t sold in supermarkets.  Look elsewhere 

[Melbpom]

I found that there was a lot of junk food in UK supermarkets and some really cheap deals like a pack of 4 flakes for a pound. The products seemed very sweet, maybe its just me.  I bought some Mr Kipling cakes recently in Woolies and again too sweet.

I do miss Waitrose and M&S. DJ's have opened a few food halls and they're excellent quality but too expensive for regular shopping.

[Loopylu]

4 hours ago, Toots said:

Purple sprouting what?  Do you mean broccoli?  As Skani said it is freely available in Tassie when in season.  Being a non-meat eater I'm more than happy with the veggies available here.  Just not fussed about the supermarkets.

 No I mean purple sprouting which unlike boring broccoli has purple heads and tastes quite different. It is more similar to broccolini if you had to compare. It is possible that it grows down south but I have never seen it for sale in my 13 years of living in Qld. In the UK it is only available for a month or so starting March/April depending on growing conditions.

Edited April 3, 2021 by Loopylu

[newjez]

56 minutes ago, Loopylu said:

 No I mean purple sprouting which unlike boring broccoli has purple heads and tastes quite different. It is more similar to broccolini if you had to compare. It is possible that it grows down south but I have never seen it for sale in my 13 years of living in Qld. In the UK it is only available for a month or so starting March/April depending on growing conditions.

Learn something new every day.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.gardenfocused.co.uk/vegetable/broccoli-purple-sprouting.php&ved=2ahUKEwifx5X10eHvAhVVg_0HHRFNAb0QFjAFegQIBhAC&usg=AOvVaw2pNEPp8KH9Uhw_QFYs4bEK

Personally I prefer the stalks to the heads on calabrese. The purple sprouting are delicious my wife tells me. Apparently I've eaten them but I didn't realize they were different. My favourite are the broccoli spears you get. 

Edited April 3, 2021 by newjez

[JetBlast]

I find that UK supermarkets are cheaper but the quality of the food in Australian supermarkets is better. 

[Skani]

3 hours ago, Loopylu said:

 No I mean purple sprouting which unlike boring broccoli has purple heads and tastes quite different.

"Purple sprouting" IS broccoli - it's proper common name is "purple sprouting broccoli".  It's  just a different variety to the regular green broccoli.  

[newjez]

Asparagus? I love asparagus.

[s713]

Woolies is better than Coles, Woolies compares favourably with Asda/Morrisons. Much more choice in Asda/Morrisons mind, and way cheaper. Tesco is a step up from that and there's nothing in Perth like M&S or Waitrose stuff. I haven't even been to a supermarket for about 6 months, just automatically do the delivery now.

[s713]

15 hours ago, MacGyver said:

With the introduction of Aldi and Spudshed (WA) I think coles and woolies have had to up their game. I can’t buy a tv in the supermarkets here, but I now tend to think the produce is of a higher quality (and often more local produce) than the produce on sale in tesco. 

Marks and Spencer’s is the exception, I would never buy a weekly shop in marks when I lived in Scotland but some of their products are fantastic and I do miss shopping there.

I went to a couple of Spudshed's in WA and found them a bit scruffy.

[Rallyman]

The best supper market I have been too in Australia was a co op down in Tanunda , a deli counter that was amazing , bakery, full on butchers it had everything and lots of fresh fruit and vegetables. 
 

why is it that it comes down to a uk v Oz best bashing match , Australia is different to uk , it’s going to be different they are two different countries .

If  you come here looking for it to be the same maybe costa del sol is a better option

 

https://www.google.com.au/search?q=co+op+Tanunda&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en-au&client=safari

[Toots]

14 hours ago, Loopylu said:

 No I mean purple sprouting which unlike boring broccoli has purple heads and tastes quite different. It is more similar to broccolini if you had to compare. It is possible that it grows down south but I have never seen it for sale in my 13 years of living in Qld. In the UK it is only available for a month or so starting March/April depending on growing conditions.

Yes that's the one @Loopylu.  It's available here in spring.  It does well in Tassie as it performs best in a temperate climate zone, where we have a long, slow autumn and cold winter.  Delicious it is too and a nutritional powerhouse.  I like it raw as well as lightly steamed.

 

 

Edited April 3, 2021 by Toots

[Dusty Plains]

2 hours ago, Rallyman said:

The best supper market I have been too in Australia was a co op down in Tanunda , a deli counter that was amazing , bakery, full on butchers it had everything and lots of fresh fruit and vegetables. 
 

why is it that it comes down to a uk v Oz best bashing match , Australia is different to uk , it’s going to be different they are two different countries .

If  you come here looking for it to be the same maybe costa del sol is a better option

 

https://www.google.com.au/search?q=co+op+Tanunda&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en-au&client=safari

Exactly. Supermarkets tend to cater for what their customers prefer, and that is why they are different.  An Australian supermarket in the UK would struggle to survive and vice versa. Equally a supermarket out in the Moscow burbs would struggle in either country. Large shopping complexes such as Westfield, which include numerous supermarkets usually,  have been hugely successful across Australia, yet have struggled in the UK.

Edited April 3, 2021 by Dusty Plains