Why Aussie shoppers don’t want to cut their own watermelon anymore

A new grocery trend is sweeping the nation, signalling a shift in how Aussies shop – and major supermarkets are leaning right into it. Once tucked away in quiet side aisles, eye-catching displays of pre-cut, peeled and prepped produce are now taking pride of place in prime supermarket real estate.

This, in addition to retailers’ recent expansion into pre-prepared meals, show convenience reigns, despite ongoing cost of living pressures.

A spokesperson for Woolworths confirmed the trend, telling nine.com.au: “We closely monitor trends and feedback to ensure we provide what our customers want.

“Woolworths shoppers, particularly young families, are looking for convenient, healthy options, and are turning to products like cut fruit and veg to make their lives easier.”

 Jason Colosimo, Coles General Manager Commercial of Fresh Produce added: “We know our customers are leading busy lives and increasingly looking for fresh, convenient options, so our focus is on giving them more choice between whole produce and prepared options that can save them time, without compromising on quality.

“Fresh convenience is one of the fastest-growing areas of our business, with strong demand for everything from ready-made meals and salads to grab-and-go snacks and pre-cut fruit.

“Cut watermelon and pineapple continue to be top sellers, while we are also seeing growth in lunchbox and snacking vegetables as customers look for easy lunch and snack solutions.”

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Even budget supermarket Aldi has leaned into customer’s demand for convenience.

“We know Aussie have different lifestyles, priorities and needs when it comes to the weekly shop.

“Our range of pre-cut produce provides customers with a convenient, accessible way to enjoy quality vegetables at incredible Aldi prices.”

Cost versus convenience

The curious aspect of this shift is the fact pre-prepared, cut and peeled products typically cost more than those customers have to cut themselves.

So why are they so popular during the continuing cost of living crisis, when everyone is trying to save at the checkout?

That said, if the time saved from cutting and peeling one’s own fruits and vegetables at home were to be measured by cost of labour, its cost-effectiveness could almost be argued.

Choosing pre-prepared meals from supermarket for dinner instead of eating out could also be counted as money saved.

Dr Jana Bowden, a consumer psychologist from Macquarie University, said this new supermarket trend “comes back to consumer’s lives and lifestyles”.

“Most families now are dual-income, we are pressed for time, we have children, there are many pressures on life and the time that we have,” she told nine.com.au.

“Whether or not that’s the right choice for the consumer depends on the lifestyle they’re leading. Obviously it saves time, but you spend more money doing it.”

And younger shoppers in particular are all about saving time.

“There’s always a market for grab-and-go when it comes to our young generations seeking convenience,” Dr Bowden said.

The consumer mindset

It comes down to balancing the cost with the convenience, and the time saved, Dr Bowden explained.

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“If the alternative to that is going out to a restaurant, where you are up for $100 for a family, where you spend even more than buying a ready-made meal, and if it is something you wouldn’t normally have, there is a market for reward and self-treating without the additional cost of going out to a restaurant,” she said.

“It’s like the ready-cut stir-fry vegetables. I thought, ‘Oh God, I shouldn’t be this lazy, I should really buy them and chop them up myself.’ Should I be doing this, or should I not be doing this? How much attention should I be giving my family here?

“So much of this is consumer psychology and how we view our lifestyle, and what we should or shouldn’t be doing.”

Dr Bowden said this isn’t always based on logic.

“We all regularly have battles around cost of living pressures, plus rewarding and treating ourselves,” she added.

“When it comes down to expenditure and happiness, so much of that is driven by dopamine, and that is in itself a reward signal for us in our brains and drives our consumption. You feel good.”

“At the end of the day, all marketing is manipulation. Sometimes it’s very hard to resist.”

Craig Gauci, co-manager of Minchinbury Fruit and Vegetables, previously confirmed this shift towards pre-prepared fresh produce, saying one of the most significant changes he has observed during his decades in the grocery industry is “customers wanting more done for them”.

“Pre-packaged goods sell a lot quicker,” he told nine.com.au.

“They’ll come and grab a bag or a tray of capsicums. We have cucumbers trayed up, capsicums, tomatoes in bags.

“We just try and accommodate for the people.”