Grocery spending represents a significant and largely non-discretionary component of Australian household budgets. Food prices have risen substantially since 2022, driven by supply chain disruptions, drought impacts on agricultural production, and elevated input costs across the food manufacturing and retail sectors.
The ABS Monthly Household Spending Indicator tracks spending on food and non-alcoholic beverages across Australian states and territories using de-identified bank transaction data. This provides a near real-time measure of changes in grocery spending patterns as cost of living pressures evolve.
Grocery spending varies across states due to differences in household size, income levels, dietary patterns, and the availability and cost of fresh produce. Remote and regional areas typically face higher grocery prices due to transport costs and limited retail competition.
The concentration of the Australian supermarket sector among a small number of major retailers has been a focus of regulatory scrutiny, with the ACCC examining factors contributing to elevated food price inflation.
Data sourced from ABS Monthly Household Spending Indicator food and non-alcoholic beverages category. Updated monthly. Annual figures reflect the most recent complete year of data.