Grocery prices: 20-year-old Coles receipt shows difference in prices then and now

We are all well aware that there’s a cost of living crisis right now and the price of things has drastically changed.

But a 20-year-old receipt from Coles has left people gobsmacked at the difference (or in some cases, lack thereof) of grocery prices.

The receipt, from a store located in Wallsend in Newcastle, New South Wales, dated January 8, 2005, was posted to a Facebook group and detailed the $77 shop.

The haul of 33 items had people comparing prices, and unsurprisingly a similar shop will cost you a lot more these days.

Watch the video above

READ MORE: After learning why my dog sleeps on my pillows, I’ll never be able to look at him the same

This shop included a 4-pack of Drumstick ice creams ($4.50), a packet of Maggi two-minute noodles (50 cents), and a packet of Scotch Finger biscuits (79 cents).

Many noted that the fresh fruits on the list seemed to be consistent in price, with the receipt listing a packet of baby carrots for 98 cents, just over half a kilogram of bananas for $1.94, 330 grams of tomatoes for $1.34, and almost one kilogram of green grapes for $3.78.

“I paid $1.30 for a tomato yesterday,” replied one person.

“I miss going my groceries for this much. Can’t imagine what my kids are going to pay,” another commented.

READ MORE: How a ‘little Australian girl’ became a global sensation – Inside the incredible career of Sarah Snook

“If only we could go back to these prices,” one reminisced.

Another remarked, “Wow the most expensive thing on this receipt is $4.50 and now the cheapest thing on the bill will be maybe more than that.”

In fact, the original poster went further and did a similar shop. In it, he matched products that still existed but substituted other brands for missing brand names and Coles brand for their now defunct Farmland.

READ MORE: $30 Kmart buy giving parents peace of mind

The shop came out to be $125 today, but would have totaled $140 without any specials or discounts.

The shopper explained it “wasn’t too bad… Oddly a lot of products were bigger in size today.”

“Not too bad? It’s actually horrific. The today cart has a savings of $13.95. If you take that away and make it the full price. Then the difference in 20 years is $62,” one person replied.

For a daily dose of 9honey, subscribe to our newsletter here.

New Australian shocked at grocery prices here

“That is almost double. That’s beyond bad. No wonder people cannot afford food.”

However some pointed out, “That’s only 62 per cent over two decades, or 2.4 per cent per year – which is very reasonable.”

FOLLOW US ON WHATSAPP HERE: Stay across all the latest in celebrity, lifestyle and opinion via our WhatsApp channel. No comments, no algorithm and nobody can see your private details.