SHOP NUMBER ONE – SATURDAY 10 AUGUST
[Please note: This is a personal, observational record. It is not a rigorous ‘scientific’ analysis]
In pursuit of my plan to cease shopping at Woolworths or Coles, I undertook a ‘comparative shop’ on the abovementioned day. For this shop, I compared alternative suppliers with Woolworths in Hobart (Wellington Centre store, Argyle Street). The alternative suppliers were: No Frills Foodmarket, Moonah; The Italian Pantry, North Hobart; Eumarrah, Hobart; Salamanca fruit and vegetable stalls; Steenholdt Organic Apples, Salamanca; South Hobart Butchery; The Salad Bowl, South Hobart; and Dilmah online store.
The details of the comparison are shown on the attached spreadsheet. Notes are shown below.
TRAVEL TIMES
Alternative Shop
Travel time home to No Frills Cash and Carry – 12 minutes
Shopping time – 20 minutes
Travel time No Frills to Italian Pantry – 8 minutes
Shopping time Italian Pantry – 10 minutes
Travel time Italian Pantry to Eumarrah – 7 minutes
Shopping time Eumarrah – 10 minutes
Travel time Eumarrah to Salamanca – 5 minutes
Shopping time Salamanca – 15 minutes
Travel time Salamanca to home – 5 minutes
Walk to Butcher and Salad Bowl from home – total time 15 minutes
Total travel and shopping time – 107 minutes
Woolworths
Travel time from home to Woolworths Wellington Centre Hobart – 15 minutes
Shopping time – 45 minutes
Total travel and shopping time – 60 minutes
(Travel times include parking time)
EXCLUSIONS
The purchase of bulk cheese from Ashgrove was not included in the comparison for the following reasons –
• Three of the five cheeses ordered were specialty types not carried by Woolworths.
• Cheese is purchased for use over a 3-4 month period, and Woolworth’s prices would fluctuate over that time.
• Not everyone would be interested in ordering cheese in bulk. We enjoy Ashgrove cheese and we eat a lot, comparatively – the bulk purchase gives us variety and good value. Unsurprisingly, we turn into mice at midnight – there was this girl called Cinderella, and a fairy godmother. It’s a long story. We like to support a local Tasmanian producer, but our consumption may not be typical.
Note: the Ashgrove cheeses stocked by Woolworths were significantly cheaper when ordered in bulk from the producer.
RESULTS
• The total price of goods purchased for the alternative shop was marginally cheaper than Woolworths.
• The alternative shop required 1.8 times as much time as the Woolworths shop.
• Parking charge for the alternative shop was $2 at Salamanca.
• Extra travelling for the alternative shop was costed at $5 for petrol.
COMMENTARY
The test shops were undertaken on Saturday 10 August. The alternative shop was first, followed immediately by the Woolworths shop. There were two options:
• both shops undertaken simultaneously by different shoppers
• both shops undertaken by the same shopper sequentially
Since prices were unlikely to alter during the course of a day, it was considered more appropriate to have both shops undertaken by the same person, making the same choices for fresh produce items, for example.
If items purchased for the alternative shop were unavailable at Woolworths an item of similar size and quality was priced.
Goods were purchased during the alternative shop. Goods were priced but not purchased during the Woolworths shop.
The price differential between the two shops was very small, however the alternative shop required more time.
The alternative shop comprised a significant quantity of organic produce that was not available at Woolworths. Additionally, Eumarrah offers customers the option of selecting the quantities of goods they wish to purchase – the majority of the store’s items are offered in bulk. Woolworths offers prepackaged quantities only for the same goods.
Meat is also only offered in pre-packaged quantities at Woolworths. The South Hobart Butchery provides meat to order.
Fruit and vegetable purchases at the Salamanca market stalls are cash only, and an itemised receipt is not provided.
Bread, milk and meat are purchased as required – usually daily. Fruit and vegetables are purchased weekly. I will log these purchases and compare with the supermarket at the next shop. I shop fortnightly, buying goods in bulk where available. The next shop will be Saturday 24 August, comparing alternative suppliers with Coles. If anyone is interested in a comparison for a specific item or items, let me know. [I don’t purchase cakes or biscuits – I bake at home. I make my own ice cream and toppings. I make enough jam in the summer months to last for the rest of the year, plus plenty to give away – easy to do in Tasmania with all the fruit about].
So far, I think I’m getting better quality goods from locally owned stores, for about the same money I would spend at Woolworths.
Comments welcome, including alternative options in other parts of Hobart.
Download, Read the spreadsheet:
