Supermarket anger sees more shoppers finding alternative ways to buy food

Sarah Power said the Rotary Capital Region Farmer’s Market has continued to grow over its 20 years. (ABC News: Jade Toomey)

As frustration with supermarket giants grows, more Australians are opting for alternative ways to do their weekly grocery shop.

Major supermarkets are under increasing pressure over grocery prices, and a review led by the Federal government.

Big retailers like Coles and Woolworths have raised their prices and brought in record profits as the cost-of-living rises, leading to price gouging allegations, which they deny.

Now those running alternative ways to shop like farmers markets and food cooperatives say they’re more and more people come through the doors.

Canberran Alison White ditched the major supermarkets 18 years ago to do her shopping at a local farmer’s market, and said she has noticed distinct influx of other patrons joining her.

“I’ve seen it get bigger, I’ve seen the shed get bigger, I’ve seen more stallholders coming, I think definitely its become more popular,” Ms White said.

“At the supermarkets, the prices have climbed quite dramatically in recent years, the farmers market prices are actually quite stable, they’ve not increased their prices as much if at all”

“We love the atmosphere, we love the food, we love the fact that we actually buy the food directly from the farmers who grow the food”.

‘No middle man’

For the manager of the Rotary Capital Region Farmer’s Market Sarah Power, frustration with major supermarkets has led to a steady stream of new patrons.

“I think what’s happening now is going to make people more and more aware of where their food is coming from and where their money is going to when they’re buying at the big supermarkets,” Ms Power said.

“We’re finding that more and more people are finding us.”

The markets brings shoppers face-to-face with the producers of their food, who often harvest the produce just days before selling it in their stalls.

“You know the food is fresh, the food actually lasts longer, much longer than food that you don’t know how long its been stored in cool rooms for,” Ms Power said.

“It’s low food miles, it’s more sustainable, and you know the money is going directly to the farmers, there’s no middle man whatsoever.”

‘Un-supermarketing’

Other ways to connect producers directly with customers, like food cooperatives, are also seeing an in increase in traffic.

Louise Harry helps to run one out of her Canberra garage through a platform called ‘Box Divvy’, which has a stated aim to ‘un-supermarket’ their community.

Fruit, vegetables and other pantry items are purchased from local producers, collected into boxes at hubs like Ms Harry’s and sold directly to local customers through a website.

“The produce can be up to 30 per cent cheaper than shopping at a supermarket,” Ms Harry said.

“Its cheaper for the consumer, it benefits the Australian farmers and it’s better for the environment because of the minimal packaging.”

Ms Harry said more and more people are getting on board with their aim to shop outside the supermarkets.

“I think its becoming a lot more popular, people are being driven for more alternative places to source their weekly groceries.”

“We started in the ACT in June 2022, there was just two or three hubs in that first few months, and were now up to 11.”

Shortening the food chain

Orchardist Helen Ricketts travels from the nearby Riverina town of Young every weekend to sell stone-fruit at the Canberra farmer’s market.

She’s found connecting with customers in the local region through the markets and other alternatives much better for business than dealing with supermarkets.

“We do sell a little bit through wholesalers, but the problem we’ve found with it is we’re price takers, not price makers there,” Ms Ricketts said.

“We’ve had wholesalers in the past tell us we’ll only get a certain amount per kilo for our fruit because one of the supermarkets has come into the market this week and they’re running a special, so that means they’re not paying much for the fruit.”

Ms Ricketts said they often lose money to the ‘middle people’ when selling fruit through wholesalers.

“By the time we pay for our packaging, our freight, the agent’s commission, 25 per cent is lost just on that chain,” she said.

National spokesperson for the Australian Farmer’s Markets Association Jane Adams said the popularity of markets and other alternative shopping options continues to grow.

“At the very beginning, 25 years ago, people said to me that farmers markets were a fad,” Ms Adams said.

“I can now put my hand on my heart and say no, actually, they have a permanent place in our food chain and they will be part of our food shopping lives going forward forever.”