Iceberg lettuce price guide: Where you can get it and how much it costs

Cost of living pressures have reached new heights with the price of the humble iceberg lettuce reaching $10 each. Here’s a snapshot of the lettuce crisis in NSW. See how your region compares.

The state’s cost of living crisis has reached new heights, as floods and inflation result in a perfect storm for fresh produce pricing in our local supermarkets. 

Community and regional reporters across NSW have gone on the hunt to find the most eye-watering prices for the fresh-food staple, the whole iceberg lettuce. 

While a series of grocers told reporters they hadn’t seen the much-loved burger ingredient in weeks, others revealed shockingly high prices reaching towards the $10 mark.

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WE WILL FIGHT THEM ON THE BEACHES... FOR LETTUCE

On Sydney’s northern beaches there was an 80 per cent price difference between the humble iceberg lettuce on the shelves at the independent IGA supermarket at Allambie Heights and those selling at the Woolies outlet at Dee Why, just 10 minutes drive away.

While the IGA had plenty of stock, it was selling the heads of lettuce for $9.99.

At Woolies they were selling for just $5.50 and management had put up a notice explaining that there may be supply issues due to “heavy rain in the growing regions”.

Allambie Heights

NORTH COAST FACING A CRISPY CRISIS

The price of lettuce is soaring across the Mid North Coast and beyond, as growers continue their flood recovery efforts.

In Port Macquarie, ALDI is your best bet for finding the vegetable at an affordable price.

As of Thursday afternoon, there was plenty of iceberg available for $5.49 a head, however the store’s new iceberg salad mix was sold out.

Little to no lettuce could be found at Coles or Woolworths in the same afternoon, but customers can expect to pay around $6 once the product is back on shelves.

And IGA takes the cake for the most expensive lettuce in Port Macquarie, with the store charging $10 for a single head of iceberg.

IGA JUNEE

BONDI BUSTING OUT BIG PRICES, JUST ‘COS’

At high-end shopping centre Westfield Bondi Junction, the in-demand salad item — which is 96 per cent water — is selling for up to $10 for a single head of lettuce.

At the well-stocked, 12-aisle Woolworths located in the shopping centre, iceberg lettuce was spotted with a $5.50 price tag.

While the price was comparable to cauliflower, which is also reaching prices of up to $6, the state of the lettuce on offer left a lot to be desired. The sad group wilting lettuces were going brown and shedding multiple leaves.

At exclusive boutique grocer Harris Farm Market at Bondi Junction Westfield a single lettuce in plastic wrap was spotted for an eyewatering $9,99, more than a package of organic pork sausages at $9 and the same as an eight-pack of streaky bacon at $9.99.

NO ICEBERG AHEAD IN CITY’S SOUTH WEST

At Coles Revesby there was not an iceberg lettuce to be found.

However there were several other varieties available at a reasonable $3 price tag.

It was a similar situation at Woolworths Revesby where iceberg lettuce had been stripped from the shelves.

A small amount of other varieties were available for $3 to $4 per bunch.

Over in Canterbury, one Woolworths store hasn’t been able to stock iceberg lettuce for two weeks, a staff member told NewsLocal.

And at the nearby Aldi store, iceberg lettuce was being advertised for $5.49 a head, with none seen on the shelf.

DUBBO A NO-GO FOR LETTUCE LOVERS

While there has been a sudden price increase in lettuce, there appears to be no sign of the vegetable in any of the major supermarkets in Dubbo.

In both of the Woolworths supermarkets, the price sits at $5.50, a considerable difference from the $10 valuation in some parts of the country. But, with none available at the moment, the price may spike in the coming days.

Unlike Woolworths, Coles has no sign of there ever being lettuce to begin with. Cabbage has flocked the shelves, but even price tags of lettuce have been removed.

Whether more stock comes quickly, what we do know is that if you’re looking for lettuce, your best bet is either replacing it with cabbage or buying the packaged version - if that is even available.

INNER WEST IS BEST FOR FRESH FOOD STAPLE

Nestled in Sydney’s outer inner west, independently-run The Fruit Village in Erskineville does — I repeat, does — have lettuce. Three types, in fact.

The Fruit Village.

The standard lettuce at the store is going for $8.99, in line with mark-ups in price elsewhere across the city, while fancy and baby lettuce are both going for $4.99 respectively.

There are only four left though of the in-demand standard lettuce, so it’s recommended to get in quick!

SHOPPERS BEWILDERED BY BARE SHELVES IN NEWY

At the Coles supermarket at Newcastle West, shoppers were greeted with bare shelves where the icebergs were once showcased. Only cheaper packaged lettuce remained, with management advising customers of the shortage in supply via a note where the prices once hung.

There was no lettuce at Coles Newcastle West

CANBERRA IN CRISIS OVER $8 GREENS

The nation’s capital has also been hit with skyrocketing lettuce prices.

At Coles in Canberra Centre the shelves were bare, but the price tag for Iceberg lettuce was set at $5.50.

Lettuce was $5.50 at Woolworths Jindabyne

Similarly Aldi was only able to muster a one cent discount with their, non-existent iceberg lettuce priced at $5.49. But that was only the tip of the lettuce price iceberg in canberra.

The shelves at the Corner Market in Civic were filled to the brim with iceberg lettuce.

Only consumers would need to shell out a whopping $7.99 for their vegetable fix.

In Canberra, it seems, you can’t make friends with salad.