Consumers are being charged as much as 60 cents more per item when doing their supermarket shopping over the Internet.
While it might be cheaper to shop for fashion and books online, a Fairfax media survey has revealed that the same can’t be said for supermarket shopping.
On top of the delivery fee, which fall between $3-13, online shoppers are generally not aware or informed that the prices of individual items are significantly more than in-store.
For the same items in a sample grocery basket, Coles was found to be charging 47 cents on average more than in-store while Woolworths items were found to be 27 cents more expensive online.
"Don't presume you're getting the best price online because the chances are you're not [. . .] Coles and Woolworths are two of the most profitable retailers in the world and they don't get that way by giving consumers a free run." Tom Godfrey, head of media at CHOICE told The Age.
There’s no long queue or fight for a space in the parking lot at Coles and Woolies, but online grocery shopping means we are paying a significant amount more for convenience sake.
- Lauren Della Marta
