Supermarket sleuths: How Australia's weekly shop compares to the rest of the world

The way Australians grocery shop has changed more in the past two years than it has in decades, largely due to the introduction of self-checkouts and delivery apps.

We're no longer stocking up bi-weekly or even weekly these days; Aussie shoppers are more likely to do smaller grocery shops several times a week.

You could describe this as being very European, but we're not quite there yet.

Some of Aussies' new shopping habits could be described as European, but we're not there yet.

Most shoppers still prefer a combination of a weekly supermarket visits with some smaller top-up shops, with an Australian family of four spending between $1,040 and $1,510 per month.

Regional Australians shop less often, either weekly, fortnightly or even monthly, due to less access to supermarkets in general, so our grocery shopping habits are heavily impacted by where and how we live in our vast land.

Our grocery staples include bread, milk, eggs, cheese, coffee, rice, dried pasta, tinned tuna, cooking spices and sauces.

The way Australians grocery shop has changed more in the past two years than it has in decades.

We also love our chicken breast and mince, beef mince, seafood such as salmon, sausages, bananas, potatoes, carrots, brown onions, broccoli, yoghurt and tinned tuna.

Let's take a look at how other cultures do their food shopping, and see if we can borrow from some of their habits to make our grocery shopping experiences even better.

France

In France, locals shop daily or several times a week, buying their food from multiple specialty stores including a bakery, butcher, and cheese shop.

In France, locals shop daily or several times a week.

There is a heavy focus on seasonal and fresh food.

There is a heavy focus on seasonal and fresh food, and their daily cooking techniques highlight the quality of the ingredients being used.

The average grocery spend for a family of four in France is approximately $1,345 and $2,015 per month.

Food shopping isn't considered a chore in France. Instead, it is an important part of the culture and part of the rhythm of life. French people aren't food prepping or batch cooking, and will often only purchase enough food to last a little over a day or two.

Grocery staples in France include bread, yoghurt, cheese, butter, onions, salad greens, potatoes, and seasonal fruit.

The French also stock up on cured meats, a whole chicken for a weekly roast, high quality beef, mustard, vinegar, milk, and fruit syrup which is mixed with water for kids. They buy very few pre-packaged snacks.

Italy

In Italy, shoppers have a preference for locally-produced foods and do a lot of their grocery shopping from markets.

Each market deeply reflects the region in which people live.

In Italy shoppers have a preference for locally-produced foods.

Visiting the food market is considered an important and pleasurable ritual and part of the joy of eating.

Instead of using a shopping list, Italians love to build their meals based on what they find each day.

The average grocery spend for an average family of four in Italy is $1,510 and $2,185 per month.

Grocery staples in Italy include dried pasta, rice, passata, vegetables, leafy greens, seasonal fruits, and cheeses including parmesan and mozzarella.

The average grocery spend for an average family of four in Italy is $1,510 and $2,185 per month.

Italians also shop for yoghurt and sweet biscuits. The sweet biscuits are eating with dipped into yoghurt or coffee. Then there's olive oil, legumes, bread, coffee and deli meats.

Japan

Residents of Japan also prefer smaller, frequent visits to food shops but differ greatly to Europeans in that they loved their pre-packaged foods.

In Japan, food packaging is elaborate, with great attention to detail and presentation paid, and so is the food inside the packaging.

Residents of Japan also prefer smaller, frequent visits to food shops.

There is also a focus on high-quality yet convenient foods, such as those that go in a bento box, or ready meals.

Japanese culture is focused on minimising food waste, so servings are smaller, but visually appealing. Even supermarket ready meals look like they are restaurant quality.

The average Japanese family of four spends approximately $925 to $1,340 each month on food.

Grocery staples include short-grain rice, miso paste, soy sauce, a soup stock called dashi, tofu, very thinly sliced meats for adding to dishes, chicken thighs, cabbage, mushrooms, Negi onions, a milk bread called Shokupan, eggs, milk, bento ready meals, and frozen Gyoza.

In Japan, food packaging is elaborate, with great attention to detail and presentation.

America

Grocery shopping in the US can be described as big, bulk, and efficient. Americans don't often food shop more than once a week or biweekly and love bulk shopping at Costco.

Their supermarkets have huge aisles filled with large packs of all their favourite products, and there is a heavy coupon and deal culture which can steer grocery choices.

And while shopping can be fun, it is considered more of a labour intensive chore. It's all about stocking up, and then this is repeated.

The average grocery spend in America is $1,100 to $1,540 per month.

Staple grocery items in the US include eggs, milk, blocks of cheddar cheese and mozzarella for pizza and melts, butter and coffee creamer, chicken breast, ground (mince) beef, frozen vegetables, and potatoes.

Americans love their pre-packaged foods.

Grocery shopping in the US can be described as big, bulk, and efficient.

Then there is cereal, spreads, plenty of pre-packages snacks, bread, canned (tinned) beans and tomatoes, sliced bread, and 'the big four' condiments which are ketchup (tomato sauce), mustard, ranch dressing, and BBQ sauce.

South Korea

South Koreans are the masters of fast shopping. There is a focus on fast online grocery deliveries due to their high urban density.

E-commerce dominates the grocery industry and penetration in the market is very high. The faster the better, and speed is expected. That means frequent small shops and a reliance on ready meals.

There is a focus on fast online grocery deliveries due to their high urban density.

If South Koreans do grocery shop in supermarkets, they prefer to do so at night.

The average grocery spend in South Korea for a family of four each month is $1,300 and $1,735.

Grocery staples include short grain rice, chilli paste, soybean paste, chilli flakes, toasted sesame oil and sesame seeds, kimichi (a fermented vegetable mix), tofu, eggs, milk, garlic, mushrooms, and Korean pear for marinades and in salads.

Fresh fruit is considered a luxury item. The most popular meat is thinly sliced pork, while beef is a luxury.

If South Koreans do grocery shop in supermarkets, they prefer to do so at night.

Also popular are dried anchovies, tinned tuna, instant noodles, instant rice, and meal kits which are popular with families with children.

United Kingdom

The UK is described as sitting somewhere between Europe and the US when it comes to their grocery shopping habits.

In the UK grocery shopping tends to happen two to three times per week rather than once a week.

The UK is described as sitting somewhere between Europe and the US when it comes to grocery habits.

There is less of a focus on stocking up.

There is easy access to local supermarkets in neighbourhoods and so-called 'high streets'. Popping into a local Tesco on the way home is common.

British shoppers are very price aware, and will chase bargains at larger supermarkets as needed.

The average grocery spend in the UK is between $1,015 and $1,315 per month.

British shoppers are very price aware, and will chase bargains at larger supermarkets as needed.

Grocery staples include sliced bread, semi-skimmed milk, tea bags, potatoes, baked beans, cheddar cheese, biscuits, whole chickens for Sunday roast, mince beef, sausages, root vegetables, and frozen peas.

British residents also buy a lot of bananas, citrus, and apples.

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