Food prices hit elderly hip pockets

Cash-strapped Australians, including the elderly, are putting their health at risk by limiting the amount of healthy foods they buy because of confusing grocery price information, dietitians have warned.

The Dietitians Association of Australia (DAA) said uniform pricing information, such as cost per kilogram, was needed for a wider number of grocery foods to make it easier for shoppers to choose healthy foods.

DAA executive director, Claire Hewat, said comparing price per kilogram helped address the myth that some healthy foods were more expensive than less nutritious foods.

‘While some shoppers baulk at paying around $5 per kilo for apples, they think nothing of forking out $1.80 for a 60g chocolate bar. But if they do the maths, the chocolate bar works out at $30 per kilo. Similarly, potatoes are about $2.30 per kilo, but some brands of potato crisps work out to be as much as $29 per kilo. Plain sweet biscuits might cost around $8 per kilo, while oranges are a better price at $2.70 per kilo, and are a much healthier option.

“A lack of consistent pricing information at the grocery store makes it hard for shoppers to compare ‘apples with apples’. The cost per kilogram of fruit, vegetables and meat is clear, but the prices of packaged foods are often shown in different weights and volumes,” said Ms Hewat.

In its recent submission to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s inquiry into rising food prices, the DAA called for unit pricing information to be available at the point-of-sale. And the leading nutrition organisation said a national system to monitor food availability, accessibility and cost was urgently needed.

The cost of healthy food has risen more over time than the cost of some less nutritious foods and people who consistently struggle to afford healthy food have lower intakes of key nutrients including protein, fibre, vitamin A and riboflavin .

“The Australians most affected by food price rises are those already struggling to fill their trolleys with healthy foods, such as low-income families and individuals and people living in rural and remote areas, as these groups spend a higher proportion of their pay cheque on food,” said Ms Hewat.

 The Smart Eating for You section of the DAA website www.daa.asn.au  has tips on healthy eating.