The one common mistake Australians are making at the grocery store

Thousands of Australians are spending excessively without realising by opting for Click & Collect services and then buying more items they don’t need in store. 

The option to shop online and pick-up in store has skyrocketed over the last few years, especially since the pandemic, with some retailers offering same-day collection.

New research by ShopFully has revealed 70 per cent of Australians use Click & Collect, with a staggering 78 per cent taking this as an opportunity to buy other products once they go and pick their shopping up. 

Among the Aussies who participated, 24 per cent said they tend to pick up additional items systematically and 54 per cent do occasionally. 

While the cost of living has made consumers more money conscious, shoppers still tend to buy other items in addition to their Click & Collect order out of temptation and habit. 

This can add up significantly over time, so it’s best for customers to recognise their spending habits and have a budget and firm boundaries in place. 

In a bid to help shoppers slash their bills, David Koch recently revealed how Australian families can save $5,000 a year on their grocery bill by switching to home brand products. 

The former Sunrise host who is now Compare the Market’s economic director, calculated that switching to house brand products could save the average family $96.37 a week or $5,011 a year. 

‘When you’re doing your supermarket shop, what’s in a brand name? Well, let me tell you – plenty,’ he said in a TikTok video.

‘You are paying plenty more for that loyalty to a brand that you love.’ 

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Parents with babies are urged to substitute a 56-pack of nappies for $39 for a 50-pack version of a lesser known brand selling for $11.49.

A $17 difference was also observed by switching shampoos.

Compare the Market bought 25 items from a major supermarket and another 25 similar items from a challenger supermarket selling house brands.

‘Now, multiply that weekly shop over a whole year and that’s a saving of over $5,000.

‘Almost three return economy airfares to London.’