New data reveals WA families spend $209 a week on groceries, third highest in Australia

West Australians have some of the highest grocery bills in the nation, new data shows, with an average spend per family of $209 per week.

In January last year, Australians spent $14.23 billion on groceries and by October that monthly average increased by 2.1 per cent to $14.53b.

Families of four were on average spending $254, according to Finder’s latest Consumer Sentiment Tracker for December 2024.

This compared to Baby Boomers, who spent the least at an average of $164 each week.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, working adults and people with children living at home typically have the highest grocery costs — those in Generation Y spend the most on groceries, with an average weekly bill of $246.

More broadly, WA’s average weekly spend came in behind NSW’s average of $212 and Victoria’s $210. Nationally the average was $208, with South Australians paying the least at $186.

Data from the Consumer Price Index shows prices rose for 27 out of 30 grocery product categories analysed between September 2023 and 2024.

The price of eggs has increased by 10.7 per cent and vegetables 8.9 per cent. Cheese, seafood and beef decreasing in price by 2.6 per cent, 0.7 per cent and 0.3 per cent respectively.

This is creating problems beyond a dry wallet — 38 per cent of Aussies reported to Finder that their grocery shopping is causing them financial stress, up from only 21 per cent three years ago.

The findings come after the latest report from consumer advocates Choice, comparing the prices of groceries from Coles, Woolworths, Aldi and IGA across Australia. Aldi proved to be the cheapest store across all States where the chain exists.

In WA a basket of groceries at Aldi is almost 41 per cent cheaper than the same basket of groceries from IGA. Woolworths prices are not far behind IGA’s in WA with special prices increasing by 80¢ between June and December 2024.

Supermarket pricing has been under scrutiny for more than a year, with Parliamentary inquiries at both State and Federal levels, while the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has also begun a major inquiry into how the major supermarkets price their goods.

The Federal Government funded the Choice quarterly price monitoring reports in an effort to boost transparency but the major supermarkets, including IGA, have blasted the methodology, saying it doesn’t take into account the dynamics of the sector.

The next report is due around Easter time.