Supermarket prices sending you off your trolley? Try these Brisbane grocers

If you feel like your finances are in disarray, you’re not alone.

South-east Queenslanders are among the Australians hardest hit by the cost-of-living crisis, a report by the Queensland Council of Social Service found.

Brisbane has the highest rents, along with the highest increases to the cost of energy, insurance and health.

Grocery bills are also tipping the scales.

In the 12 months to August 2023, bread, cereal and dairy was hiked more than 10 per cent.

Households spent more on food and drink than anything other than housing, and in some homes, keeping food on the table meant turning to less healthy options or meals being skipped.

The report arrived less than a week after the Albanese government directed the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission to conduct a year-long inquiry into grocery pricing and competition.

A closer look at claims of price gouging and profiteering by Coles and Woolworths should be welcome news for consumers.

But the reality is more complicated.

The results of the investigation won’t be made public for over a year, which is a long time to wait for people who are struggling right now.

And we might just see a repeat of the consumer watchdog’s 2008 supermarket inquiry, which didn’t prompt any radical changes.

If you’re wondering where that leaves you, a consumer in need of reprieve from the duopoly, Coco’s Annerley might be a place to start.

In the current economic climate, stepping into Sam Coco’s 24-hour supermarket feels like entering the Upside Down.

You might find Cavendish bananas for 27¢ a kilo. Limes for 5¢ (yes, 5) each. Hass avocados priced under a dollar and punnets of cherry tomatoes retailing for 48¢.

Unexpected and impulsive things happen in Coco’s. But when the specials are firing, it feels right to lose your inhibitions.

Coco’s in Annerley is a tonic for the cost-of-living crisis.Credit: Courtney Kruk

Greenslopes local Chavi Brennan is an avid Coco’s shopper. Though her childhood memories are faintly tinged with the green-and-red glow of Sam Coco’s, she only started shopping there regularly in recent years.

“I just love it so much. Partly because I go there and don’t know what’s going to be on special,” Brennan says.

A typical weekly shop costs about $50 – give or take questionably necessary items. “If I were to shop like a normal person, yes, I’d be saving lots of money. Fifty dollars is me going in there to get like an iceberg lettuce and coming out with two boxes’ worth of stuff.”

While Brennan still buys certain products from the Coles near her house, one of the reasons she remains loyal to Coco’s is the experience of shopping there.

“It brings out the best in people, I think. Like if items are close to expiring, people need to be creative with their cooking or cook straight away. Also, the international section is second to none.”

South-west of Brisbane, shop owner Michael Nguyen delivers similar savings to his community through Thai Hoa Grocer in Inala.

The grocer stocks regular and speciality produce, supplied by 38 local growers operating in south-east Queensland. “We have growers coming in replenishing the store with fresh produce at 6 o’clock each morning,” Nguyen says.

The local community, largely made up of migrants, not only appreciate having access to affordable produce during the current cost-of-living crisis, but also to otherwise hard-to-find ingredients that aren’t available in chain stores.

“We’ve even been able to get farmers to start growing produce based on local demand,” says Nguyen, who also supplies produce to some of Brisbane’s best restaurants.

Further north, T-Bones Fresh Food Market in Aspley regularly sacrifices profit to ensure customers have access to fresh, quality produce.

“I’m not going to bring stock into the store that I can’t charge a reasonable price for,” store manager Molly Mayer says. “Sometimes we make a loss on things just to give back to our customers and the community.”

Mayer is steadfast on this stance from personal experience. “I grew up with five kids in the house and basically a single mum who was struggling. So I think I have good insight into what people need, what they want and what they sometimes have to go without.

“Even if we are losing a bit of money, I always make sure that we are cheaper on our everyday items [than the chain stores].”

Coles and Woolworths have 70 per cent of the market share in Australia. While it might be hard to avoid shopping at both altogether, this is a gentle reminder that other cost-effective options are scattered throughout the suburbs.

And they might deliver a discount – and an interesting experience.

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