“For Coles, we compared the products with what you’d pay in-store versus via UberEats and DoorDash. For Woolworths, we compared in-store prices to prices through MilkRun and UberEats, and for Aldi, we looked at in-store costs and the price when delivery was made via DoorDash.”
CHOICE’s investigation found that individual items were, on average, 11 per cent more expensive when bought through a third-party app — with some mark-ups as high as 42 per cent.
When delivery fees and service charges were included, the total cost of an order jumped by up to 39 per cent.
“Of the 13 items we compared, seven of the products from Aldi were priced higher on DoorDash when compared to the price you pay in-store,” Serrels said.
“Twelve of the 13 items were priced higher on a Woolworths MilkRun order, and for all other comparisons, the prices for each item were higher when purchased via the third-party service when compared to what you would pay if you actually went in-store.”
To put it into perspective, a 400g tub of Lurpak butter costs $9 in-store at Woolworths — but ordering it via Uber Eats will set you back $10.20.
The biggest price jump CHOICE uncovered was for Coles Vanilla Ice Cream Cones (4-pack), which sell for $3.70 in-store but rise to $5.25 — a 42 per cent increase — when ordered through DoorDash or Uber Eats.
“Unfortunately, the costs keep adding up – there are also delivery costs, which may include service fees, delivery fees, and sometimes bag fees ranging from $5 to just over $11,” said Serrels.
“When we compared, the flat fee for a fast delivery from the Coles and Woolworths websites was $15. This matched the price of our Coles orders from DoorDash and Uber Eats, but for Woolworths, the MilkRun order was the cheapest option.”
The findings paint a clear picture — if you want to save money on already expensive groceries, heading in-store is definitely the way to go.
But there’s another way to trim your grocery bill without giving up convenience: switching to cheaper alternatives.
Compare the Market recently analysed 20 everyday household items across two major supermarkets to see just how much cheaper options could save shoppers.
The findings were striking: Australians could fork out around $164 for a trolley of brand-name items, but just $83 for a trolley of similar generic or home-brand items – a whopping 49 per cent difference
The analysis looked at pantry staples like bread, milk, eggs, and cheese, as well as household essentials such as washing powder, toilet paper, and multipurpose cleaners.
It’s clear that the weekly grocery shop remains Australia’s biggest household expense, with one in five Australians (21 per cent) naming groceries as their most worrisome bill. On average, Aussies are spending $198.16 each week, which adds up to $858.69 a month and an eye-watering $10,304.32 annually — an increase of 3.39 per cent, or $338 more a year.
However, Compare the Market’s Chris Ford says small changes at the grocery store could make all the difference.
“The proof is in the pudding! It pays to compare when shopping, as the savings can be significant,” Ford said. “
“We found that a shopper could stand to save up to $81 by ditching the big names with pretty packaging. If they did the same shop every week over a year, that’s an annual difference of $4,212.”
Savings were observed across all 20 items when switching from brand-name to home-brand products, with reductions ranging from as little as 30 cents to as much as $23 for laundry powder.
Some of the products with the biggest price differences included:
- Laundry powder 4kg – $23.00 difference
- Instant coffee 200g – $9.50 difference
- Body wash 1L – $7.20 difference
- Mouthwash 500mL – $6.00 difference
- Multipurpose cleaner spray 750mL – $5.00 difference
“Some of the biggest price gaps were in the bathroom aisle – things like mouthwash and bodywash – as well as cleaning products like washing powder and kitchen sprays,” Ford said.
At the end of the day, every dollar counts — and with a little extra effort, whether that’s heading in-store or choosing home-brand options, your grocery bill (and your wallet) will thank you.