Grocery prices Qld: Young Aussies skipping meals as soaring prices take their toll

Young Aussies and low-income workers are skipping meals as they’re forced to spend up to a quarter of their income on groceries due to soaring supermarket prices as part of the cost-of-living crisis.

Young Aussies and low-income workers are skipping meals and spending up to a quarter of their income on groceries as the cost-of-living crisis continues to bite.

In a survey of more than 13,000 people, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) also found some parents were eating less to make sure their children were fed, while other people were substituting fresh food with frozen products and are spending more time shopping for bargains to make ends meet.

ACCC deputy chair Mick Keogh said the survey aims to understand how grocery shopping habits have change since the Covid pandemic amid cost-of-living increases, with a focus on what shoppers are most concerned about at the checkout.

Madeline Sinclair says groceries are burning a large hole in her weekly budget. Picture: Richard Walker

“A clear theme in the survey responses so far is that consumers consider the price of groceries to be a major factor in the cost-of-living crisis,” Mr Keogh said.

Brisbane woman Madeline Sinclair, 31, who was recently made redundant from a recruiting role, said groceries were burning a large hole in her weekly budget.

“It’s been difficult not knowing when my next pay was coming in … but I’ve been living off my redundancy package,” she said.

“I’ve had to really manage my money. I got paid out a few months’ worth of income but it was going to run out in a few weeks.”

Ms Sinclair, who luckily has managed to secure a new job, said it had been a stressful time.

“It’s hard, especially trying to eat healthy and feed my cat, these beans cost $5.50 and it will be a side for one meal,” she said.

“It’s usually $80 a shop and I’m here every second day … rice is expensive, and cat food is $11 for six little tins when it used to be $7, that seems unreasonable just to keep my cat alive.”

“I’m trying really hard.”

The results of the ACCC survey, which runs until April 2, will be used in the ongoing Supermarkets Inquiry.

Mr Keogh said the ACCC was hoping to hear from more adults under 30, people from regional and rural locations and those from non-English speaking backgrounds.

“Having responses that reflect the whole community’s experience will help us to identify the right issues that need to be explored more deeply in our inquiry,” he said.

“Findings from the consumer survey will be included as part of the ACCC’s interim report, due by the end of August.”

Originally published as Grocery prices Qld: Young Aussies skipping meals as soaring prices take their toll