The Project host erupts over plans to tackle soaring food prices

Waleed Aly thinks he knows why Aussies are being slugged by soaring prices at the supermarket check-out as the cost of living worsens.

The Project star and his fellow panelists were discussing the latest Choice report into supermarket prices, which revealed that a basket of groceries at Aldi was 25 per cent cheaper than major rivals Coles and Woolworths.

The research was funded by the Albanese government as part of its plans to address rising food prices and  shake up the current supermarket duopoly. 

In a stinging attack, Aly said that he didn’t believe that the government’s plans will make any difference to shoppers.

‘The most revealing aspect of this report to me was Coles and Woolworths’ prices seem to be higher in areas that don’t have an Aldi,’ he told fellow panelists on Thursday night.

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‘There are all sorts of things with cost of supply and supply chains, but ultimately it seems that the prices we’re paying are not out of necessity, they’re out of competition, and that’s what it all comes down to.’

Aly suggested that Aussies with only Coles and Woolworths in their area will be hardest hit.

‘Where you don’t have anything beyond the two in your area, you’ll pay a higher price because there’s no reason not to. Why would they charge you less?’ he argued.

‘You can say you want Aldi’s market share to be greater, that would make a difference, but then it’s three. 

‘When you travel overseas and you see there’s eight or something like that. And you speak to people there and they say you get slammed on groceries. 

I think it’s clear now this is why.’

Panelist Georgie Tunny agreed.

‘If Aldi isn’t in your immediate vicinity because it is a convenience thing too, if you have worked a 12-hour day and have to pick up groceries on the way home [and don’t want to go out of your way],’ she said.

Consumer advocacy group Choice released their report on Thursday in the wake of Coles and Woolworths being accused of price gouging.

‘Our latest report shows that Aldi continues to offer the best value for Australian shoppers on a range of groceries,’ CHOICE chief executive Ashley de Silva said.

‘We sent mystery shoppers to regional and metropolitan supermarkets nationwide to record prices for 14 grocery items, and we’ll continue to deliver quarterly price analysis reports so Australians can stay on top of where they can find the cheapest groceries, to help relieve some of the pressure on household budgets.

The Choice price analysis showed that Aldi has the cheapest groceries nationwide, based on a basket of 14 commonly bought grocery items including milk, bread, sugar, pasta and tea bags and two fresh fruits and vegetables.

The federal government gave Choice $1.1 million in the federal budget to conduct   report every three months for three years. 

To discover which supermarket chain offered the best value for money, Choice sent ‘undercover shoppers’ to 81 supermarkets around the country in March.  

Choice found the average basket of groceries purchased at Aldi cost $51.51 — 25 per cent less than the same basket of goods at Coles and Woolworths.

Coles had the most expensive basket at $69.33, while the items at Woolworths cost an average of $68.58. 

This revealed there was just 75 cents difference between the big two supermarket chains in Australia. 

The major supermarkets repeatedly defend the soaring cost of groceries as a result of general inflationary pressures and price increases imposed by global food brands.