As the consumer price index (CPI) tips over 6 per cent, new data reveals how much staple pantry items, fruits and vegetables have soared in price over the last six months.
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the price of food and non-alcoholic beverages increased by 5.9 per cent in the last year due to high freight costs, supply constraints and strong demand.
As a result, consumers and businesses have gone to extreme lengths to cope with the country’s cost of living crisis as empty shelves, sky-high price tags and costly grocery bills become the new normal.
Recently there have been some unusual methods Australians have used to slash costs and make-up for insufficient stock, including broccoli stalks being broken off and left on fresh produce units and KFC switching lettuce for cabbage in its burgers.
So with the effects of inflation felt and seen right around the country, food experts from Foodbomb crunched the numbers to assess which foods are having the greatest impact on consumers’ hip pockets.
Research shows that broccoli, iceberg lettuce and baby spinach have been the most expensive items in short supply within the last six months.
Broccoli has increased by a staggering 130 per cent, with a box previously worth $42 now costing stockists $95 each. This increase is then passed onto consumers per kilo.
Meanwhile, the price of iceberg lettuce hiked from $4 to $10.80, at a 151 per cent increase. A bag of shredded lettuce also rose for $7.50 per kilo.
As for baby spinach, the price for a 1.5kg box more than doubled, rising from $16.50 to $38.50.
While these prices have caused trouble for consumers and businesses in the past, offering some hope is Mouhamad Dib, the company director at MD Provodores.
He told news.com.au that despite the increase in costs observed recently, the inflated price tags on these leafy vegetables won’t be here to stay.
“The cost of fertilizer from the farms, to labor shortages and transport costs has amplified pricing across all sectors,” Mr Dib said.
“But with spring around the corner and summer days behind it, we hope to see some prices come down. Lettuce leaves are definitely still in short supply, but broccoli and baby spinach are getting better.”
Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for staple pantry items and animal products which are taking a hit as a result of global events and supply chain issues.
Oil unexpectedly soared in price with 20 liters of sunflower oil doubling from $30.60 to $66. Whereas the cost of canola oil is triple the amount, with some suppliers selling the same quantity for as much as $92.10.
It’s bad news for egg lovers with the war in Ukraine preventing farmers globally from sourcing feed grain which has in turn slowed egg production.
As a result, wholesale prices for a one dozen carton of free-range eggs have risen from $2.60 to $4.45. Caged eggs have also seen a similar increase however, they aren’t selling out in supermarkets as quickly due to the shift in demand for the cage-free range.
Foodbomb predicts that egg supply will run tight for the next 18 months as feed supply becomes increasingly difficult to source.
Salmon and chicken breast are also among some of the other animal products in short supply while selling at a higher cost, now ticketed at $40kg and 9.50kg respectively.
Similar to the egg situation, consumers can expect the price of chicken meat to remain high for the next 12 months.
Anthony Ponte from the operations and procurement department at wholesaler Melba Fresh told news.com.au that these price increases are a reflection of the market.
“(Prices) are going up because the supply is going down, while the demand is staying the same if not increasing. As a result, we’re getting less sales and it’s getting harder and harder to source produce,” he said.
“We’ve been looking everywhere, interstate and all kinds of places, just trying to get our hands on products. It’s been very hard. We have to split what we’ve got between orders, but you still ultimately end up disappointing everyone.”
Mushrooms also make Foodbomb’s top 10 list of expensive items in short supply with a box now priced at $50 each. Lebanese cucumbers, $11 per kilo, and cabbage, $14 each, come in at ninth and 10th place.
Now that TVs are getting progressively thinner, manufacturers are having a tough time building decent speakers into them. It doesn’t help either that TV speakers often face downwards, creating low audio that loses much of its detail.
By comparison, soundbars have speakers that actually face towards you, making sound clearer and speech more understandable.
In fact, you would be surprised by how much your audio can be improved even with just a budget soundbar.
RELATED: Best Australian TV deals and offers
RELATED: Sonos Ray Soundbar hands-on review
Many soundbars also have Bluetooth integrated too, so you can play your tunes and get more dynamic sound.
Ready to ditch mediocre audio for a better entertainment experience? We’ve rounded up the best soundbars available in Australia below, based on our own experience with the products and real customer ratings and reviews.
QUICK LINKS
BEST SOUNDBAR UNDER $1,500
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
This premium soundbar delivers fantastic audio with clear vocals and deep bass, while offering an immersive sound experience thanks to its side speakers.
If you do want to kick things up a notch, you can also pair the Arc with other Sonos speakers (such as the Sonos One SLs) to create a full surround sound setup. The Arc comes with plenty of great features too, including Dolby Atmos playback, a quick and easy set-up process and Alexa and the Google Assistant built-in.
It does only have one HDMI port with no passthrough, and there’s no Bluetooth streaming, but the Arc remains a top choice for those who can afford it. You can also grab it in white here.
Equipped with Dolby Atmos and DTS:X support, along with Samsung’s Acoustic Beam virtual surround technology, the HW-Q700A bar produces balanced and neutral sound and clear dialogue.
It does struggle with low and mid-bass, so you won’t get the full effects of action-packed scenes or the deep immersion you get with higher-end bars. There’s plenty of great features that make it seriously decent for both TV and music though, such as a dialogue enhancement feature, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, AirPlay 2 compatibility, graphic EQ and bass and treble adjustments.
You may get some distortion at maximum power, but it remains a top-rated option for mixed use.
pros
Dolby Atmos and DTS:X support
Graphic EQ and presets
Bluetooth and Wi-Fi compatibility
get’s loud
Cons
No Chromecast built-in support
Lacks low-bass
BEST SOUNDBAR UNDER $500
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
Despite being much more compact than its predecessors, the Ray offers a surprisingly wide soundstage, with audio that can be fine tuned through adjustable EQ in the Sonos app.
The two-channel speaker is compatible with both Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS Digital Surround information, although it doesn’t include support for Dolby Atmos surround sound. It also packs in a Speech Enhancement function to clarify dialogue, Wi-Fi for music streaming and support for Apple Airplay 2 and Spotify Connect.
Unlike the Beam and the Arc, there is no voice assistance included with the Ray, so you won’t be able to control it with Amazon Alexa or the Google Assistant. In fact, there is no microphone array at all, but that could actually be a bonus if you’re particularly concerned about privacy. The Sonos Ray is also available here in white.
pros
Adjustable EQ through the Sonos app
Conveniently compact size
Can be wall mounted
Cons
Not HDMI
No Dolby Atmos surround sound support
No voice assistance
RELATED: Sonos Ray hands-on review
Yamaha YAS-209 Sound Bar, $495
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
Arriving with a subwoofer in tow, the YAS-209 smart combo has an impressively wide soundstage and crisp, clear audio.
The sound profile is nicely balanced and the subwoofer helps to boost low-end frequencies, making the duo great for bass-heavy music. There’s also DTS Virtual:X for simulated surround effects and built-in Alexa voice control for easy music streaming.
On the downside, there’s also only one HDMI port on the back of the YAS-209 and it doesn’t support MusicCast, so you won’t be able to connect it to other Yamaha MusicCast-enabled speakers. For the price though, it delivers powerful sound and plenty of great features.
pros
Amazon Alexa built-in
great for music
DTS Virtual:X
Cons
Only one HDMI input
No MusicCast
Additional space needed for subwoofer
BEST SOUNDBAR FOR SMALLER SPACES
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
While it doesn’t look a whole lot different from the first generation, the Beam (Gen 2) brings a range of great upgrades including HDMI eARC support, immersive Dolby Atmos interpretation, a new CPU and more audio formats.
It doesn’t have the upfiring tweeters needed for ‘true’ Dolby Atmos, but you do still get a seriously decent performance out of it. Audio is rich and detailed and can also be fine tuned to suit your space through TruePlay in the Sonos app.
The Beam is also a smart speaker, which means it pairs with both Alexa and the Google Assistant, and it can be paired with other Sonos speakers to further expand your system. It’s also versatile and straightforward to use, making it the best soundbar for most people.
pros
HDMI eARC support
3D audio with support for Dolby Atmos
True Play tuning
Choice of Alexa or Google Assistant on-board
Cons
Doesn’t support DTS:X
No additional HDMI ports
Not Bluetooth
BEST SOUNDBAR WITH DOLBY ATMOS
Sennheiser AMBEO Soundbar, $3,999.95
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
Even without the addition of satellite speakers or a subwoofer, the Ambeo produces rich, natural sound and delivers a convincing surround sound effect.
It can get very loud, making it ideal for movie nights and parties, and includes features like speech enhancement, DTS:X support, Google Chromecast built-in, 4K HDR pass-through and a night mode for a better listening experience. The Ambeo is also controlled entirely by remote control, making it incredibly simple to use.
It’s definitely a luxury buy and it is a huge unit that requires a lot of space, but it’s also arguably the best-sounding bar money can buy.
Featuring 12 speakers (including the accompanying wireless subwoofer), the U5120G delivers rich, multidimensional audio with plenty of depth and detail. HDMI eARC support also allows you to experience uncompressed Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, though Atmos’ immersive sense of height is still better delivered on higher-end soundbar models.
There are plenty of other great features though, including 4K Ultra HD Pass Through, optimized sound through Eilex PRISM and Bluetooth connectivity for music streaming.
It may not quite stand up to its pricier rivals, but its great features and wide speaker array will make it a solid addition to your lounge room.
pros
Affordable Dolby Atmos sound bar
HDMI eARC support
DTS:X support
Bluetooth-connectivity
Cons
Remote control is hard to read
No voice assistance
Not Wi-Fi
BEST SOUNDBAR WITH SUBWOOFER
Samsung HW-Q950A Atmos Soundbar with Wireless Subwoofer, $2,099
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
Both the HW-Q950A soundbar and the rears are fitted with upfiring drivers which bring Atmos-enabled height to your audio, while the sizeable sub gives you plenty of bass.
There’s also 3D audio format support from both Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, two HDMI inputs and one output with support for eARC, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi. On the music front, Spotify is the only music source incorporated in the accompanying SmartThings app, but Bluetooth, Apple AirPlay 2 support and Alexa compatibility gives you plenty of other ways to stream.
The HW-Q950A is also about as close as you can get to a true wired system too, making it great for those who hate the clutter of cables. It’s not the most nuanced soundbar out there, and you will need plenty of room for the whole system, but it’s extremely impressive for movies thanks to its room-filling sound.
pros
Dolby Vision and HDR10+ passthrough
DTS:X support
Bluetooth-connectivity
Rear speakers and sub included
Cons
expensive
Sound could be more refined
Requires plenty of space
BEST SOUNDBAR FOR TV
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
The TV Speaker doesn’t have a tonne of features, but it’s well-equipped for watching your favorite shows thanks to a dialogue enhancement feature and a bass adjustment feature.
There’s no Dolby Atmos support, which is what we would expect at this price point, but there are HDMI ARC and Optical ports and Bluetooth compatibility for music streaming. Audio is smooth and reasonably well balanced though it does lack low-bass, so sound isn’t as immersive as other bars on this list.
If you’re looking for a simple option with an easy setup though, this is the way to go.
pros
bluetooth supported
Dialogue enhancement feature
simple-setup
optional subwoofer
Cons
Doesn’t get very loud
No Dolby Atmos support
Lacks low-bass
CAN I USE A SOUNDBAR WITH ANY TV?
Generally speaking, yes you can use a soundbar with any TV, although you will need to check that they have compatible connections. To get the most out of your soundbar, it can help to match the brand of your bar to that of your TV, but this isn’t a hard and fast rule you need to follow.
WHERE DO I PLACE MY SOUNDBAR?
Most soundbars are designed to be placed in front of your TV, though it’s always worth taking measurements to ensure the bar can fit comfortably on your stand without blocking your view. Plenty of models are also able to be wall-mounted and either come with brackets included or have compatible brackets that can be purchased separately.
HOW DO I CHOOSE A SOUNDBAR?
The three main considerations when buying a soundbar are the price, the dimensions of your TV and the size of your room. Most soundbars are suited to small to medium rooms, though large, powerful bars will likely overwhelm rooms that are on the smaller side.
The best rule of thumb is to look to single-bar systems for smaller TVs and rooms and to soundbar/subwoofer combos for medium rooms and higher-end TVs. It is worth noting that combination units are more expensive, so you’ll also want to factor in your budget before committing to a purchase.
Looking to discover more great devices? Head to our Best Of electronics section to see all the latest product guides and reviews. You can also sign up to our Best Of shopping newsletter to be kept in the loop about popular products and upcoming sales or head to news.com.au Coupons to see a list of current deals and offers.
lauren chaplinBest Of Writer
Lauren is news.com.au’s Best Of consumer technology writer. She previously worked at comparison site Finder as the senior shopping writer where she reported on everything from tech gadgets to the latest home products. She has a Bachelor of Journalism from the University of South Australia and prior to cutting her teeth as a journalist, she worked as a media advisor for JB Hi-Fi where she sold the very products she now writes about.
There’s a place that gives me the shivers: And not just because it’s cold. The fresh section of the supermarket has become terrifying.
I’m not frightened of the vegetables themselves. What’s different is the numbers on the price tags. They suddenly make vegetables look like luxury goods.
The latest consumer price inflation figures are out and they tell a shocking story.
As the next chart shows, the price of vegetables has gone supernova. It’s hardly the only product to have shot up. Your breakfast cereal and the sandwich in your lunch box are also much more expensive than before. Only one product category fell in price in the most recent data: pork.
The price of vegetables went up a lot between March and June this year because in winter, we get our veg from Queensland, and the state got flooded in March. Fields that would usually be full of happy young lettuces were instead knee-deep in filthy floodwater.
The basic law of economics says when things are in short supply, the market starts raising prices. Only buyers who really want something – and who can afford it – are left buying. The rest of us stop buying. This is what markets do – change prices to make sure demand equals supply. Sometimes that means raising prices a lot to scare off most buyers.
I was definitely put off buying my favorite fresh vegetables by high prices. I bought frozen veg a few times, and even bought brussels sprouts instead of broccoli at one point – talk about desperate times!
The price of fruit
Fruit was up by a lot in the three month period too. It rose 3.7 per cent, which is significant. Berry crops got hit by bad weather too. But fruit inflation would have been a lot higher if it wasn’t for avocados. Those guys have their seed on the inside, so they count as fruit, and they have tumbled in price. Who among us hasn’t shoveled in a lot of guacamole in recent times?
Avocado farmers seem to have gone on a planting spree back when jokes about smashed avo were at their peak. It takes five years or so for an avocado tree to grow enough to make fruit, and now the farmers are pulling in massive crops. Jokes about smashed avocado are over in 2022 however, and in a grim irony, it’s avocado prices that are now toast.
“The additional [avocado] trees started producing fruit around the middle of last year, leading to oversupply and sharp price falls,” said a spokesperson from the ABS when I asked about why fruit prices were not as high as vegetables.
She explained avocados are often eaten in cafes and restaurants, so when we eat at home more the avocado industry takes an extra hit.
“Reduced demand from the food service industry due to lockdowns also reduced demand for avocados during the later parts of last year,” she said.
That adds up to cheap avocados. I bought a bagful yesterday for well under a dollar each.
Pork on your fork
The outlier in the graph above is pork. Why is it cheaper, I asked? The answer seems to be cheap imports. I went digging for data and found the Australian pork industry published loads of information on pork imports. They say that by May 2022 we had brought in a lot more pork – 22,000 tonnes instead of 13,000 tonnes by May 2021. Our extra bacon is especially coming from Denmark and the Netherlands.
That extra supply has helped eased prices after a period early in 2022 where pork prices got a lot higher.
But why are the Europeans suddenly sending us so much pork? The answer is a fascinating one – pigs don’t graze grass like cows – you have to feed them (not unlike people!) and as the next chart shows, the cost of feed as a percentage of the eventual price of the pig got very high in early 2022.
Pig farmers have the choice to either make money by turning pigs into bacon, or spend money keeping on feeding them. They are choosing the former. So ironically, high food prices in Europe may be helping keep down the price of Australian pork.
Jason Murphy is an economist | @jasemurphy. He is the author of the book Incentivology.
