British supermarkets vs Australian supermarkets

[newjez]

11 hours ago, Rallyman said:

What don’t you have enough variety in over here in Oz ? 

Far more choices in fresh fish here in Oz.  I personally think the quality of meat is better here In Oz 

plenty of fresh veggies and fruit 

what do you want that is not here in Oz ? 

You can't really expect Australia to do everything better than every other country in the world.

Likewise, Australia could look at what it doesn't do better, and copy other countries.

 

[newjez]

12 hours ago, Marisawright said:

I'm not sure that's true.  I feel that the problem, in Australia, is that Coles and Woolworths have been virtually a duopoly for a very long time.  They've only had to compete with each other and neither of them has been innovative.   If one of them had done something new and exciting, the other would've had to follow suit, and it's never really happened.

I don't see it as "bashing".  I prefer living in Australia hands-down, but I can still recognise that in general, the shopping is better in the UK.  I'm not getting hot under the collar about it, though.  It's just a fact of life - a nice benefit if you're living in the UK, and a minor irritation if you live in Australia.  There are pros and cons to every country and this is just one example.

I remember having the conversation with the Coles store manager in Perth. I had two kids under two, and they put the parent child parking on a hill, with no brakes on the trolleys. I asked him which child I should send thundering down the hill with the shopping? He seemed unable to choose. 

[newjez]

10 minutes ago, Loopylu said:

Well it has been sunny and dry since I arrived on 19 March apart from one drizzly day. Been very lucky.

We seem to be getting drier springs and summers and much wetter winters.

 

Edited April 4, 2021 by newjez

[Peach]

I feel I need to give a yay to Canberra's independent supermarket chain Supabarn, who manage to be different and better than Colesworth.  Even the IGAs here remind me more of delis than Spa shops.

But bit pointless if to consider whether I prefer them to the UK offering IMHO.  I don't have a choice to shop at Tesco while I'm here - and tbh I've mostly forgotten what driving to a massive car park on the opposite side of town is like.  I do prefer having smaller food centres in closer proximity, with proper butchers, bakers and fruit & veg that was grown in country.

[Bulya]

23 minutes ago, Peach said:

I feel I need to give a yay to Canberra's independent supermarket chain Supabarn, who manage to be different and better than Colesworth.  Even the IGAs here remind me more of delis than Spa shops.

But bit pointless if to consider whether I prefer them to the UK offering IMHO.  I don't have a choice to shop at Tesco while I'm here - and tbh I've mostly forgotten what driving to a massive car park on the opposite side of town is like.  I do prefer having smaller food centres in closer proximity, with proper butchers, bakers and fruit & veg that was grown in country.

CRFM Saturday on the Northside, and Southside Farmers Markets on Sundays have lots of organic produce etc.  

[CaptainR]

Meat and veg quality is far superior in Australia. I’d buy a steak in the supermarket here but wouldn’t dream of doing that in Sainsburys. 

 Variety is far greater in the UK and they have loads of microwave meals, M&S food and waitrose seems to almost cater exclusively for people who either can’t cook or don’t have the time to cook. That might be an indication of how busy peoples lives are in comparison. 
 

Our favourite shop here is Harris Farm, but you have to watch out for the prices otherwise you’ll be using Afterpay in 4 easy instalments for an avocado. 

[ramot]

12 hours ago, Loopylu said:

I suppose I should not draw comparisons but the weather here in the UK is glorious at the moment (I see you have torrential rain in Qld for the next 2 days) so no chance of getting bored with beautiful countryside to explore! 

If you aren’t bored as the weather is so good, why have you posted so often, now you can go out and about and  enjoy the countryside with your parents, as you have only been out of self isolation since about the 29th March?  At least I have an excuse for the few posts I have made. 

Still raining here though, but at least the dams will be full, and the weeds will be growing.

On a serious note, hope your father is ok.

Edited April 5, 2021 by ramot

[NicF]

17 hours ago, JetBlast said:

Has anyone been to the Foodland is Pasadena, Adelaide? It's excellent.

Have a look at some of these photos - https://www.constructwell.com.au/pasadena/qgwqr8du6ldyc5ynaqixjgzggzhygh

I haven't been in but I have heard about it.  I went to the IGA at Wattle Park on Good Friday for milk - not somewhere I would normally go but the closest place open on Friday hence the visit.  I was surprised at just how full of artisan produce it was and how fresh and inviting the fruit and veg and bakery section were.  Not what I would expect from an IGA at all.  Both very much a reflection of the areas they are in I suspect.

[Rallyman]

14 hours ago, newjez said:

You can't really expect Australia to do everything better than every other country in the world.

Likewise, Australia could look at what it doesn't do better, and copy other countries.

 

I am not expecting anything not sure where you are getting it from ? 

I don’t get the uk v Oz which one is better, both have good and bad points 

why would expect supermarkets to be same it’s two different countries they are bound to be different , different climates vastly different population and vastly different size geographically . 
 

 

Edited April 5, 2021 by Rallyman

[Marisawright]

5 hours ago, Peach said:

I feel I need to give a yay to Canberra's independent supermarket chain Supabarn, who manage to be different and better than Colesworth.  Even the IGAs here remind me more of delis than Spa shops.

But bit pointless if to consider whether I prefer them to the UK offering IMHO.  I don't have a choice to shop at Tesco while I'm here - and tbh I've mostly forgotten what driving to a massive car park on the opposite side of town is like.  I do prefer having smaller food centres in closer proximity, with proper butchers, bakers and fruit & veg that was grown in country.

We had Supabarn in some suburbs in Sydney too.  Very nice.  I miss Harris Farms, they don't seem to be in Melbourne at all.

[Marisawright]

23 minutes ago, Rallyman said:

why would expect supermarkets to be same it’s two different countries they are bound to be different , different climates vastly different population and vastly different size geographically . 
 

I think there's two different sets of people on these UK/Australian comparison threads. There are those who find the comparisons interesting and food for thought--what's different, why are they different? - and there are those who see it as some weird kind of competition.

Edited April 5, 2021 by Marisawright

[newjez]

6 hours ago, CaptainR said:

Meat and veg quality is far superior in Australia. I’d buy a steak in the supermarket here but wouldn’t dream of doing that in Sainsburys. 

 Variety is far greater in the UK and they have loads of microwave meals, M&S food and waitrose seems to almost cater exclusively for people who either can’t cook or don’t have the time to cook. That might be an indication of how busy peoples lives are in comparison. 
 

Our favourite shop here is Harris Farm, but you have to watch out for the prices otherwise you’ll be using Afterpay in 4 easy instalments for an avocado. 

Is meat better?

You have GM, antibiotics and hormones versus horsemeat and BSE.

I think both countries have some improvement due.

[Loopylu]

6 hours ago, ramot said:

If you aren’t bored as the weather is so good, why have you posted so often, now you can go out and about and  enjoy the countryside with your parents, as you have only been out of self isolation since about the 29th March?  At least I have an excuse for the few posts I have made. 

Still raining here though, but at least the dams will be full, and the weeds will be growing.

On a serious note, hope your father is ok.

Don't worry - I have been out and about making the most of my time here. I only come on here first thing in the morning when I see my email notifications on threads I am involved in.  I tried a few times to upload some photos for you of where I have been since leaving isolation but each time something went wrong.  On my last attempt all the photos were upside down! 

Dad is doing remarkably well but he has always been a busy person and so he still tries to do what he can around the house.  He did however allow me to spend 5 hours pressure washing a winter's worth of grime off the back patio (it's large!) on Easter Saturday so now the pavers are golden rather than a dull grey....

Off to the drive through clinic today to take Dad for his routine pre-chemo blood and Covid tests. My Mum tells me he's not good with these types of tests so I am expecting it to be a bit traumatic....  My husband used to be the same with blood tests and would go faint but living with CKD he has had to get used to them.  It will be a very big needle when he starts dialysis....

[Loopylu]

On 04/04/2021 at 02:25, Toots said:

OK, I've stated Coles and Woolies could do much better but honestly I can get almost anything I need there.  We have very good delis and green grocers locally.  Nobody is going to starve.  Seems as Bill Bryson said, some people are obsessed with supermarkets.  I only buy what we need as I HATE chucking out unused food.  Far too much of that in first world countries.

Out of interest, Toots - can you get the following fresh (not canned) produce (not available in Qld) in Tassie? 

gooseberries

red currants

white currants

damsons

loganberries

runner beans

broad beans

I really miss a good gooseberry crumble or fool. 

At least we can now get rhubarb in Qld which was not available for a few years when we first moved over.

[Antipodista]

4 hours ago, Marisawright said:

I think there's two different sets of people on these UK/Australian comparison threads. There are those who find the comparisons interesting and food for thought--what's different, why are they different? - and there are those who see it as some weird kind of competition.

Exactly, and it drives me crackers and means I come on here less. Anytime there’s any “perhaps that’s better in this country” or “what do you think of this” mentioned on a purely subjective level it’s “bashing” or “just go back there”. Being a migrant is an incredibly complex thing and comparisons and missing certain things - even if not said with any ill-intent - are natural and it’s comforting to want to discuss them sometimes. FGS.

ps: hope you are well Marisa xx

[Toots]

24 minutes ago, Loopylu said:

Out of interest, Toots - can you get the following fresh (not canned) produce (not available in Qld) in Tassie? 

gooseberries

red currants

white currants

damsons

loganberries

runner beans

broad beans

I really miss a good gooseberry crumble or fool. 

At least we can now get rhubarb in Qld which was not available for a few years when we first moved over.

Yes to all that list Loopylu except the gooseberries are not the nice old fashioned hairy ones I remember.  They are called Cape gooseberries and are reddish in colour and bigger.  Bit different but still very nice.

[ramot]

29 minutes ago, Loopylu said:

Don't worry - I have been out and about making the most of my time here. I only come on here first thing in the morning when I see my email notifications on threads I am involved in.  I tried a few times to upload some photos for you of where I have been since leaving isolation but each time something went wrong.  On my last attempt all the photos were upside down! 

Dad is doing remarkably well but he has always been a busy person and so he still tries to do what he can around the house.  He did however allow me to spend 5 hours pressure washing a winter's worth of grime off the back patio (it's large!) on Easter Saturday so now the pavers are golden rather than a dull grey....

Off to the drive through clinic today to take Dad for his routine pre-chemo blood and Covid tests. My Mum tells me he's not good with these types of tests so I am expecting it to be a bit traumatic....  My husband used to be the same with blood tests and would go faint but living with CKD he has had to get used to them.  It will be a very big needle when he starts dialysis....

I upload photos on a thread usually on the post a random photo thread on chewing the fat but can be any thread

click on thread   click reply to this thread

click to choose files   Then photo library 

go to your photos click on photo then click add or done

close and should go back to your post with photo added

hope that works xM

 

 

 

[Skani]

9 minutes ago, Toots said:

except the gooseberries are not the nice old fashioned hairy ones I remember.  

I see those sometimes at farmers' markets here.

[newjez]

1 hour ago, Loopylu said:

Dad is doing remarkably well but he has always been a busy person and so he still tries to do what he can around the house.  He did however allow me to spend 5 hours pressure washing a winter's worth of grime off the back patio (it's large!) on Easter Saturday so now the pavers are golden rather than a dull grey..

Do you have an attachment especially for patios? Ours has one, it is round, about thirty cm in diameter. I found it really makes the job much easier. Try and find one if you don't have one.

[s713]

Only takes 3 pages for the super Aussie wannabes to appear .

Ok, everything is better in Australia than anywhere else , close thread.

[Bulya]

3 hours ago, newjez said:

Is meat better?

You have GM, antibiotics and hormones versus horsemeat and BSE.

I think both countries have some improvement due.

No GM, antibiotics or hormones in the meat we buy.  Most meat here is now hormone free

[Loopylu]

1 hour ago, newjez said:

Do you have an attachment especially for patios? Ours has one, it is round, about thirty cm in diameter. I found it really makes the job much easier. Try and find one if you don't have one.

Yes - Dad has the round one but it wasn't working properly to start with.  He fixed it while I was out taking Mum for her second Covid vaccine and he had had a go with it but I don't like the results it produces -very patchy. I have the same attachment back in Brisbane too and again the results aren't as good as if you go meticulously over the area with the normal attachment.  I'm very fussy when it comes to pressure washing....

[Loopylu]

1 hour ago, ramot said:

I upload photos on a thread usually on the post a random photo thread on chewing the fat but can be any thread

click on thread   click reply to this thread

click to choose files   Then photo library 

go to your photos click on photo then click add or done

close and should go back to your post with photo added

hope that works xM

 

 

 

I did all that but the first time the photos were too large so wouldn't up load.  So next time I chose small size and then they all appeared upside down.  I decided that a higher power was telling me to give up....

[Loopylu]

1 hour ago, Toots said:

Yes to all that list Loopylu except the gooseberries are not the nice old fashioned hairy ones I remember.  They are called Cape gooseberries and are reddish in colour and bigger.  Bit different but still very nice.

I think Cape gooseberries are a bit sweeter. I remember you could pick those in the UK too at the pick your own farms.

[newjez]

8 hours ago, Loopylu said:

Yes - Dad has the round one but it wasn't working properly to start with.  He fixed it while I was out taking Mum for her second Covid vaccine and he had had a go with it but I don't like the results it produces -very patchy. I have the same attachment back in Brisbane too and again the results aren't as good as if you go meticulously over the area with the normal attachment.  I'm very fussy when it comes to pressure washing....

It's hard work, but the results can be fantastic.