As grocery prices continue to rise, Australians are rethinking their shopping habits, with certain items increasingly left behind at the checkout, according to new research by YouGov commissioned by ShopFully.

More than half (56%) of Australians put sweet treats back on the shelf when their grocery bill starts to get too high, followed by chips and savoury snacks (47%), alcohol (35%), non-alcoholic beverages like soft drinks (31%), and bakery items (28%). 

ShopFully Australia country manager, Brendan Straw said, “Australians are clearly feeling the pressure of rising costs, and our research shows they’re making increasingly tough choices at the checkout. While impulse buying is part of our shopping culture, it’s interesting to see how priorities shift when the bill starts to add up.”

Women are more likely than men to splurge on personal care products without thinking, but they are also more likely to return these items to the shelves when costs escalate (21% compared to 15%). Men are more likely to put back fruit and vegetables (16%) compared to women (10%). 

Generational differences also play a role in shopping decisions, with younger shoppers being more likely to return everyday essentials. Gen Z and Millennials are more likely to put back dairy products (24% and 23% respectively) and fruit and vegetables (22% and 18%) when faced with a high grocery bill. This compares with Baby Boomers, who are far less likely to leave these items behind (9% for both categories). 

Families are also feeling the pinch, with Australians who have children under 18 at home being more likely to return items like meat and fish (23% compared to 18%), dairy products (20% compared to 14%), and fruit and vegetables (20% compared to 9%) when their grocery budget is strained. 

The report found that in-store impulse buyers are more likely to put back the majority of these items compared to shoppers who claim they don’t typically make impulse purchases. Over half of impulse buyers return sweet treats (57% compared to 41%) and chips or savoury snacks (48% compared to 32%). 

Higher-income households are, however, somewhat shielded from these behaviours. Australians earning $150,000 or more annually are the least likely to ever put back meat or fish due to a high grocery bill (11%).