Where to Find the Best Grocery Deals in Australia
A practical guide to finding the best grocery deals in Australia — weekly specials, price comparison, markdowns, loyalty programs and more.
The best grocery deals in Australia come from stacking several sources: Coles and Woolworths weekly specials (new every Wednesday), Aldi's everyday low prices, loyalty-app offers, late-day markdowns and store-brand swaps. No single store wins on everything. CHOICE's June 2026 survey priced the same 17-item basket at $68.89 at Aldi, $74.47 at Woolworths and $76.79 at Coles, yet a half-price special at either big chain can still beat Aldi on a specific item.
Most shoppers only use one or two of these sources. The people who save the most use several together. Here's a rundown of where the deals are and how to stack them effectively.
Weekly Specials at Coles and Woolworths
Both major chains publish new specials every Wednesday. These run until the following Tuesday, giving you a full week to act on them.
Coles and Woolworths both run half-price deals each week, mostly on branded items across pantry, frozen, health, and household categories. The key habit is checking the new specials on Wednesday before you finalise your shopping list, rather than deciding what to buy first and paying whatever it costs.
You can browse specials on the Coles and Woolworths websites or apps. Our guides to Coles weekly specials and Woolworths weekly specials cover how each catalogue works.
Aldi's Everyday Low Prices and Special Buys
Aldi operates differently from Coles and Woolworths. Rather than running weekly deep discounts on rotating branded items, Aldi keeps its everyday prices consistently low. In CHOICE's June 2026 survey, Aldi's 17-item basket ($68.89) was about 7–10% cheaper than Woolworths ($74.47) and Coles ($76.79).
Aldi also runs Special Buys on Wednesdays and Saturdays — limited-stock non-food and seasonal items (kitchen appliances, outdoor furniture, clothing) at discounted prices. These aren't grocery deals as such, but they're worth knowing about for household goods. See our Aldi specials guide for how they work.
For core grocery items, Aldi's regular shelf prices are often the deal. No catalogue hunting required.
Comparing Prices Between Stores
Because Coles and Woolworths each run their own specials, the cheaper of the two changes item by item and week by week. Checking both catalogues against your list is the only way to know, and doing it by hand takes time. Grocero compares Coles and Woolworths prices on your shopping list — join the waitlist for early access.
Whether a separate Aldi trip is worth it is a different question. Compare the unit price of a Coles or Woolworths special against Aldi's regular shelf price for the equivalent product. A half-price branded item can beat Aldi's price; a 20% discount often won't.
Loyalty Programs: Flybuys and Everyday Rewards
Coles Flybuys and Woolworths Everyday Rewards are the two major loyalty programs for Australian grocery shoppers. Both work on the same principle: earn points per dollar spent, redeem them for money off future shops.
The value comes less from passive point collection than from the personalised offers each app shows you every week. Log in before you shop and activate your bonus offers, and they can add a few dollars of value to a regular shop.
A few things to know:
- Activate your offers before shopping — most don't apply unless you turn them on in advance
- Look for "Boost" or bonus point multiplier offers on items you were already planning to buy
- Points are redeemed in blocks: 2,000 points is worth $10 off a shop with either Flybuys or Everyday Rewards
Markdown Deals (Late in the Day)
Supermarkets mark down fresh food approaching its use-by date — usually meat, bakery items, deli, and some produce. Timing varies by store, but it's typically late afternoon or early evening.
These markdowns can be substantial. For households comfortable with cooking or freezing the same day, this is one of the highest-return ways to save on protein. Marked-down meat that you freeze the same day keeps just as well as full-price meat bought earlier in the week.
The catch: it requires flexibility on what you buy and when you shop. You can't plan meals around markdowns — you find out what's available when you arrive.
Generic and Store-Brand Products
Supermarket own-brand products (Coles Brand, Woolworths Essentials, Aldi's house brands) usually cost noticeably less than name-brand equivalents in staple categories — flour, sugar, rice, pasta, tinned goods, oils, cleaning products.
For many items, the quality difference is small. The savings add up across a full shop, so check the unit price to confirm each swap is actually cheaper.
The practical approach is to try one or two generic items per week and see whether you notice any difference. Most people find a handful of items where they strongly prefer the brand (certain sauces, specific coffee), and everything else is interchangeable.
Bulk Buying Non-Perishables on Special
When non-perishable staples — pasta, rice, tinned tomatoes, coffee, toilet paper — go on half-price special, buying two or three weeks' supply is almost always worth it. You pay half the normal price per unit, with no risk of waste.
The trap is applying bulk-buy logic to perishables or semi-perishables. Buying six loaves of bread because it's on special isn't a deal if five of them go stale. The rule: only bulk-buy things with a long shelf life that you definitely use regularly.
Putting It All Together
The households that save the most aren't doing anything extreme — they're just using multiple deal sources together rather than relying on one:
- Check Wednesday specials at Coles/Woolworths and build meals around what's on sale
- Buy staples from Aldi where brand doesn't matter
- Activate Flybuys or Everyday Rewards personalised offers before shopping
- Compare your list across Coles and Woolworths before you choose where to shop
- Look for markdowns on meat when shopping late in the day
- Switch staples to generic brands where quality is comparable
None of these individually is transformative. Together, they add up to a real difference in the weekly budget. For more ways to stretch your shop, see our guide to the best value groceries in Australia.
Frequently Asked Questions
When are the best days to shop for deals at Coles and Woolworths?
Wednesday is when new weekly specials start at both chains. Shopping Wednesday or Thursday gives you the best combination of fresh specials and well-stocked shelves.
Do Coles and Woolworths have the same deals?
No. Each chain runs its own specials program with different products on discount each week. That's why comparing both stores against your list helps you find the best deal on any given item.
Are Aldi Special Buys worth following?
For specific household goods at the right moment, yes. Aldi's Special Buys on kitchen appliances, outdoor furniture, or seasonal items are often very competitively priced. For regular grocery shopping, Aldi's everyday prices are the main attraction.
How do I know if a "deal" is actually a good price?
Check the unit price (cost per 100g or per litre) rather than just the headline price. Also compare against Aldi's regular shelf price for the same or equivalent product — sometimes a discounted item at Coles or Woolworths is still more expensive than Aldi's everyday price.