Australian Groceries: A Bit of Background

Canadian grocery prices are significantly lower than Australia’s. It seems a bit strange since we can’t even grow citrus in Canada and Aussies can grow anything from avocados to mangoes to nuts. (That’s a heap more than our PEI potatoes!)

The big food debate in Canadian prices revolves around whatever “the U.S.” is making us pay this month for grapefruit.

In Australia, the State-State competition does not seem to involve much collaboration. Prices seem to be state controlled. Thus, the prices are pretty high.

I was recently in the Huon Valley of Tasmania which is advertised as being the Apple Centre of Australia. But in fact, in the past two years, this industry has been completely depleted. The ability to import non-Australia fruit, or non-Tasmanian has lead to apple production being not worth the effort for Huon farmers. It’s quite sad.

The Quality of Australian Groceries

However, prices and industries aside, the quality of the fruit and vegetables you can have in Australia will be some of the best you’ve ever had. The sunshine quality and the less likelihood of the producers to grow a crop (“especially for those Canadians who won’t know the difference anyway…”) mean that the fruit and veg in Australia are not as padded with steroids and water as the American crops tend to be.

Buying Groceries-pricing:

Prices are per/kilo. This makes for an interesting conversion, as Canadians are used to paying per gram—who orders 100 Kg of anything anyway? Don’t make this mistake or you’ll need up with a WHOLE LOT of feta cheese.

Market Shopping:

Most Australians prefer to shop in the plethora of outdoor markets. Sure, it’s way nicer to be outside than inside shopping. Market shopping feels like you’re on holiday, whereas grocery shopping indoors feels like a chore in my mind.

Most Australians will run in and buy a few groceries. They tend to buy fresh and only keep a few things in their tiny little fridges (they really are small). Whereas, this is not the Canadian way!

So when I show up for my once every two week shop and load up a whole cart of goods and wheel it through, nearly always someone will comment, “Whew! Someone’s having a party!” (and if they don’t, they’re thinking it.)

The only time people fill up a cart of food is when they are at the market–and here’s another unusual difference: everyone will be pushing their own trolley! In Canada, this little wheeler only signifies someone who lives in the street, whereas in Australia, it is posh to have a cart.