Aussie shoppers forgoing treats and turning to home brands

Australian grocery shoppers are foregoing treats and switching to home brands to make ends meet, according to research NielsenIQ for the 2024 Product of the Year Awards.

Product of the Year director Sarah Connelly says customers are "viewing snacks as a low priority when it comes to feeding the family."

While consumers are choosing more affordable home brands over premium, they are also looking for ways to save on preparation time with pre-prepared meat and chicken products.

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And it seems health and ethical practices are still a major factor when it comes to the best products on the market, as well as ethical considerations.

Coles has taken out 19 of the 44 awards with plenty of their home-brand, deli and bakery products featuring, while Woolworths has taken home 10 product prizes.

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Aldi came out on top as the most affordable supermarket chain, with Woolworths taking the lead when it comes to overall shopping experience.

Winning products were decided based on relevance, uniqueness, excitement, likeability, distinctiveness and innovation.

Let's take a look at the winning grocery items for 2024:

Dinner items

Woolworths' Specialty Breed Slow Raised Whole Chicken product and Macro Wholefoods Market Free Range Australian Boneless Butterflied Chicken with Moroccan style rub both took out prizes this year.

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Specialty Breed Slow Raised Whole Chicken retails for $19.80.

Macro Wholefoods Market Free Range Australian Boneless Butterflied Chicken with Moroccan style is on sale at the time of publishing for $19.60.

Coles took out a prize for their Finest Australian Beef Burgers which sells for $8 for a pack of two.

Woolies had another dinner win with their 100 per cent Australian Beef Eye Fillet Steak thick-cut which sells for $23.40 per pack.

When it came to seafood, Tropico Australian Raw Whole Tiger Prawns (which have recently rebranded to Tassal) scored a prize. They are on sale at Woolies for $26.50 for a 1 kilo pack.

Tassal Tassie Salmon infused with lemon also picked up a prize and is on sale (at the time of publishing) at Coles for $16.00 for two.

When it comes to convenience, Woolworths Creamy Garlic Chicken Kiev bites took out a prize. A 400 gram pack costs $8.50.

Then there are Coles Australian Sweet Potato Waffle Fries which are a great side dish come dinner time. This winner is selling for $6 for a 500 gram pack in the frozen section.

Healthy choices

Woolworths picked up a prize for their Macro Pasture-Raised Carbon-Neutral eggs at $8.50.

And their Pot Set Greek Style Yoghurt also took out a prize for 2024, selling for $6 for 1 kilo.

Other healthy winners include Woolworths Smokey BBQ Slaw Kit which sells for $4.50.

Coles won a prize for their Dairy Free BOM Chocolate Flavour Oat Milk drink will is on sale for $6 for a pack of six.

Treats

Some new and delicious treats did make it onto the winners list, including these delightful creations from Ferrero.

Their new Nutella biscuits are on sale (at the time of publishing) at supermarkets for $6 per pack.

Nestle Australia picked up a prize for their Nescafe Original Choc Mocha Tim Tam sachets selling for $7.60 at Coles and Woolies.

And Coles won a prize for their Ultimate Gluten Free 40% Chocolate Chip Cookies and the baking mix.

The cookies are on sale (at the time of publishing) for $6.50 per pack and the baking mix for $5.70.