Grocery spending reached a record high in December, according to data from Finder’s Consumer Sentiment Tracker.
The average Aussie household reported spending $208 per week on groceries in December, up from $184 in December 2023.
Unsurprisingly, this number is even higher for households with at least one child under 18 ($285 on average per week in December, up from $229 in December 2023).
With the average spend at new heights, comparison site Finder has analysed the cost of Christmas lunch across three leading supermarkets – Woolworths, Coles and ALDI.
The traditional Christmas lunch could make a bigger dent in your wallet depending on which supermarket you shop at.
Finder compiled the price of 14 different products that consumers typically buy for Christmas day.
The total price for the basket of goods from ALDI to feed a family of eight works out at $118.17, followed by Woolworths at $125.10 and Coles $146.40. That’s between $14.77–$18.30 per head.
The traditional Christmas ham is the most expensive outlay – with a double smoked variety at ALDI costing $12.99 per kg compared to $13.50 per kg at Coles and $12 per kg at Woolies.
Of the seasonal staples analysed by Finder, prawns incurred one of the highest price differences between retailers – of 118%. Roast turkey differed by as much as 25%.
According to Finder’s Consumer Sentiment Tracker, 40% of Aussies say their grocery spend is causing them financial stress in December, up from 22% three years ago.
Finder research shows the average Aussie shopper expects to spend $244 for food and $173 for eating and drinking out this holiday period.
