Aussie supermarkets are better than the UK supermarkets!

[tracy123]

Ok these are my reasons why.

In the UK the big supermarkets have pushed out a lot of retailers and changed the face of the UK towns with lower prices, causing family businesses to close. People when going into ASDA, Tesco and the like can tend to buy a lot more than they need due to selling clothes, CD’s, alcohol etc.

The good points about Australian supermarkets are, they sell food and stuff all else. Most people will tend to buy their meat, vegetables, deli goods and the like outside of the supermarkets keeping smaller businesses open.

People look at the prices and compare how much you can save in the UK on food but seem to forget the t-shirt, CD or something else extra that always seems to go in the trolley that they wouldn’t do in Australia.

Am I right or wrong?

[Bobbsy]

I kind of agree, and can add another reason too.

 

At least around here, the fresh produce available tends to be much more local than the dreaded Tesco. I don't know how general this is (I live in a farming area that produces fruit and veg) but a fair percentage of the stuff I can buy at the local Woolworths comes from this area, not flown in from Israel and Peru. Oh, there are SOME imports, both international and interstate, but nothing like the "we'll buy the cheapest and screw the local farmers" attitude that the big supermarkets in the UK have.

 

...tastes better this way too!

 

Bob

[Guest guest30038]

I suppose if folk want convenience then the UK is better in that you can have a one stop shop for everything. I think you're right though..........my missus used to "pop down" to Tescos or Asda for some groceries, and always came back with a t shirt, spindle of cd's or other crap, that we really didn't need just 'cause, "I got 'em 'cause they're a bargain". Saying that, Coles has a Hypermarket here in brizzy that sells everything from food to clothing to white goods...........if they sold booze, they'd be no different than Asda.

 

Coles and Woolies though, firstly exploited drought and floods for their fresh produce price increase, and then the petrol hike. Supplies are good and petrol's come down, but their fresh produce has continued to rise along with bread and milk, despite them paying less for it than they did 3 yrs ago. Now we're facing a fresh range of hikes due to record sugar prices........because growers can get record prices exporting, we have to pay top dollar when it's grown on our bloody doorstep..........despite markets being locked into by the big boys more than a year ago!

 

I've just got back from 1770 which, depite it's growing popularity, is serviced by one small IGA.........cooked chooks 2 bucks cheaper than the big two........ham off the bone half the price..........bread cheaper............milk cheaper, but the fresh produce was bloody awful. Apparently all they can access is the stuff from local growers that is rejected by the big boys. If you want top fresh produce, then they have the monopoly and are squeezing the independents out, just as tescos and the like did in the UK.

 

We blame the supermarkets but don't forget, the sellers to them (with their locked in prices) are just as guilty with regards to limiting free choice.

 

kev

[olly]

Actually there is much more choice than there used to be, my local Coles Supermarket is trying to stretch its product range and I have noticed all sorts of new things going on, i.e. they have at the back a 'fresh fish market' all fish is Aussie and on ice and it's lovely.

 

Having just returned recently from South Africa and checking out all their supermarkets, I noticed that they also have some specialist areas, i.e. Pick N Pay have a lovely bakery/patisserie which does gorgeous cakes etc, and while our Safeway has a bakery and some cakes etc, it does not a have a gorgeous patisserie. They also have large packets of things like shampoo and washing powder which is good bulk buying. I only buy washing powder at Aldi now, better value than the silly shrunken packaging they have started to put the washing powder in at safeway/Coles.

 

One of the supermarkets in S/Africa has a fast food outlet inside, doing curries and rice, pies, chips etc. I have noticed that some of the supermarkets here are changing, i.e. Safeway near me is doing a 'prepackaged food' type counter, like you might see in England. Of course Aldi has changed the face of shopping here, and with Costco now in Docklands and planning to go to the Gold Coast, the other supermarkets have to change or lose customers.

[Petals]

Years ago before seven day trading the Peninsula shops were allowed to stay open seven days as designated a holiday destination. Coles and KMart were joined as one big shop then so people could by everything except alcohol due to liquor laws. It was like that for a long while but then they separated them again. Same with the colds and KMart at Cranbourne

 

I prefer the fact that the clothing and other products are sold in separate stores like Big W and KMart. I also prefer the supermarkets here because they do not selll a lot of prepared meals, not a fan, think they are expensive and who knows what is in them. Also they cause a lot of small businesses, take aways to close and then we have no choice at all.