Ratings game: top products revealed

Consumer review and comparison website Canstar Blue has revealed some of Australia’s top products, based on consumer ratings. The ratings were gleaned from Aussie adults who bought products from a supermarket or grocery store within the last three months. 

ALDI’s winning slice

ALDI Westacre was rated a cut above the rest for the second year in a row in Canstar Blue’s latest sliced cheese ratings. The discount supermarket took out the Most Satisfied Customers Award after receiving five stars for overall satisfaction, value for money, variety and packaging. However, Jarlsberg was rated best on taste.

“Buying home brand products is always a bit of a gamble, especially when it comes to a staple product like cheese, but consumers have found ALDI continues to provide the right balance between quality and value,” said Canstar Blue Editor in Chief, Simon Downes.

“Our survey also found Aussies don’t settle for any old cheese, with 66% of respondents admitting to have tried multiple brands of cheese to find the right one.”

Australia’s favourite coffee

Lavazza has taken out Canstar Blue’s Most Satisfied Customers Award for coffee beans in two consecutive years, after Aussie consumers rated it five stars for taste, aroma, texture, variety, packaging and overall customer satisfaction in 2020. But in terms of value for money, Coles Urban Coffee Culture was rated number one.

Downes says that while popular brands like Lavazza and Vittoria always performed best overall, supermarket brands are gaining more market share.

“You simply can’t beat supermarket home brands on price and that’s something consumers value now more than ever,” he says.

“That’s why I think there will be a renewed focus for brands to strike the right balance between quality and price moving forward.”

How do Aussies buy their coffee?

Canstar Blue’s research found that 45% of Aussies make their cuppa at home rather than buying coffee from a cafe, and a third (35%) actually prefer to brew their coffee at home. What’s more, a fifth (19%) usually try to buy Fairtrade coffee, while 6% drink decaf.

One in three Australians say they go out of their way to buy the coffee they like, while only 7% purchase their brew online.

Aussies’ favourite coffee style

According to Canstar Blue, flat white remains our favourite cuppa (23%). This is followed by cappuccino (22%), latte (19%), long black (16%) and espresso (9%).

Millennials’ (those aged 18-29) favourite brew is the latte. This took a quarter of the vote (24%). Meanwhile, boomers (those aged over 60) prefer a flat white (30%).

“These findings definitely debunk common stereotypes about younger Aussies preferring ‘hipster coffees’ like mochas or chai,” says Downes. “But also misconceptions about older Australians who we’ve always thought preferred black coffee.”

Australia’s favourite tea 

Twinings was rated top tea in Australia in Canstar Blue’s latest review, after picking up the Most Satisfied Customers Award for tea bags in 2020. This is the second time Twinings has won the award, after first taking it out in 2018. Last year, it was ALDI Just Organic. 

How much tea do Aussies drink?

According to Canstar research, over half of Australians (55%) drink multiple cups of tea every day. Of those, 61% prefer using tea bags over tea leaves. In terms of buying behaviour, 46% of Aussies tend to buy the same brand of tea every time they shop. And over a quarter (27%) generally buy the largest box of tea available.

“The Australian tea market is valued at $1.2 billion and is growing at a compounded rate of about three percent annually,” says Downes. “This indicates a real shift away from coffee towards a more health-conscious and often cheaper choice.

“We expect the pandemic will have an impact on tea production and exports globally as is the case in India. What this means for the Australian market remains to be seen.”

Australia’s favourite tea 

Black tea remains the most popular type of tea among Aussies, with 65% of respondents declaring it their favourite. It was followed by green tea (14%), herbal tea (11%) and flavoured (ie, vanilla) and fruit-infused tea (5%).

Previously, green tea had emerged as the favourite type among millennials. However, Canstar ratings show black tea is now back in vogue with young Aussies, taking 45% of the vote. This is also true for boomers, of which 73% said black tea was their favourite type.

“Tea is fast becoming the hot drink of choice among every generation,” says Downes. “It seems consumers are going back to the basics with supermarket black and green tea. Only three percent of respondents are buying their tea from a specialty store.”