Online shopping has become the norm for many Australians, but when it comes to groceries, the majority are a “picky bunch”, according to new research by Finder.

A Finder survey of 1004 respondents reveals that the vast majority (86%) still primarily buy their groceries in person. 

Only 14% of surveyed Australians – equivalent to almost three million people – largely shop for groceries online.

The main reason Australians shop in-store is their desire for quality control, with three in four respondents (74%) wanting to pick their own produce and two in five (41%) wanting to select the best expiry dates.

While most surveyed Australians shop in-store, not all of them do so by choice, with 17% admitting their grocery store doesn’t offer delivery, and another 6% saying they live too far from a store that provides online ordering.

For others, it’s simply a lack of planning, with 7% admitting they aren’t organised enough to shop for their groceries online.

Finder Head of Consumer Research Graham Cooke says despite the rise in online shopping, Australians still prefer the traditional approach for groceries.

“Many of us can relate to this – we’ll happily buy a new phone or a pair of shoes online, but for the weekly shop, we still want to be in the aisle,” he says.

“It’s about the feeling of picking up that perfectly ripe avocado, or giving the bread a good squeeze to make sure it’s fresh.”

The average Australian reported spending $205 per week on groceries for their household in October, according to data from Finder’s Consumer Sentiment Tracker. 

Mr Cooke says Australians, in general, are very conscious of value, and that doesn’t just mean price. 

“It means getting the best possible quality for your dollar. When you shop in person, you can see if the meat is a good colour, if the lettuce is crisp, and you can pick the freshest milk based on use-by date,” he says.

“For many, entrusting a stranger to make these decisions is just a step too far.”