Australian supermarkets are quietly changing the way they price fruit and vegetables, and shoppers are starting to notice the confusion it’s causing. In a move that’s been slowly gaining traction, major chains like Woolworths, Coles, and Aldi have expanded their use of per-unit pricing—a practice that might seem convenient, but is actually leaving many customers paying more than they expect.
The Price Confusion Problem
Let’s take a quick trip to the supermarket. You walk into Woolworths and see kids’ bananas priced at $3.70 for a bunch of five. It seems reasonable at first—until you realize the Cavendish bananas right next to them are priced at $3.50 per kilogram. Sounds like a deal, right? But when one shopper weighed the kids’ bananas and realized they were only 530g, the per-kilogram price shot up to $6.98—that’s nearly double the price of the larger bananas!
This is where things get tricky. Unit pricing like this isn’t always clear, and it makes it almost impossible for customers to easily compare prices. Whether it’s a cucumber sold by the unit or a cauliflower with a set price per piece, shoppers often can’t tell if they’re getting a good deal or being taken for a ride.
A Growing Trend in Australian Supermarkets
This is part of a wider trend in Australian supermarkets where, increasingly, fresh produce is being priced per unit—meaning you pay for a single item (like one cauliflower, or a bunch of bananas) instead of paying for its weight. While some argue this is more convenient for the average shopper—who might want a single item—it leaves us without the transparency of knowing how much we’re actually paying per kilogram.
Coles, for example, has recently expanded its use of per-unit pricing, making it harder for shoppers to compare the cost of items. Lettuce, kale, and silverbeet are just a few of the products sold with this pricing method. Cauliflowers are priced at $5 each, while broccoli is listed at $8 per kilogram. At first glance, it’s unclear which option offers the better deal, especially since one cauliflower might weigh more than the next.
Even at Aldi, where prices are usually lower, rock melons are priced at $4.99 each, placed next to watermelons at $1.99 per kilogram. Without the ability to weigh the melons, per-unit pricing makes it difficult to make an informed choice. This confusion leaves many shoppers wondering if they’re truly getting the best value for their money.
Why This Matters
As consumer advocates point out, per-unit pricing can be a sneaky way of hiking prices without clearly showing the difference to the shopper. In some cases, like the kids’ bananas, per-unit pricing can lead to price discrepancies of more than 50%. Without any per-kilogram prices displayed, consumers have to do their own research or, at worst, feel like they’re guessing.
Dario Bulfone, an expert in the field, explained to The Guardian that it’s not complicated for supermarkets to display the average weight of items, so shoppers can compare prices easily. It’s all about making it fairer and more transparent. He argues that with the technology available, it’s a decision, not a technical limitation, for supermarkets to not provide this clarity.
What Needs to Change
This shift to per-unit pricing has sparked a call for reform. Consumer advocates are urging supermarkets to consistently display per-kilogram prices for fresh produce, or at least provide a per-unit estimate based on average weights. Without this, Australians are at risk of being taken advantage of, especially as prices continue to rise.
Currently, the government has not announced any reforms to this pricing practice, but there’s growing pressure for change. Assistant competition minister Andrew Leigh has said that the government is committed to improving pricing transparency, which is a step in the right direction. But until then, customers will need to be more vigilant and aware of how supermarkets are pricing their fruit and vegetables.
