Posted by 
As the cost of living crisis continues to pinch purses across the country, many Aussie families are buying in bulk and online to curb hip-pocket pain at the checkout.
So much so that bulk buy groceries have overtaken clothing and apparel as the number one category on shopping platform Catch.
Popular items include dishwashing tablets, muesli bars, chips and milk powder.
The modern approach to grocery shopping is becoming increasingly popular for Aussie families looking to slash their shopping bills.
With three hungry children to feed, Alexandra and Zac Cain saw their weekly grocery bill surge from $300 to almost $500.
“A lot of fresh fruit and vegetables, but usually just the snacks, the school lunchboxes is a massive dent,” Alexandra said.
“Everyday, making the lunchboxes, we need things on the go to grab out of the cupboard.”
Convenience and fast delivery made it an easy decision for the busy family to make the switch to online bulk purchases.
“Just buying everything in bulk, I don’t have to worry about dishwashing tablets for a couple of months,” Alexandra said.
“I find it a lot easier to compare pricing online … it’s harder to do in person,” Zac said.
According to Catch managing director Brendan Sweeney, the couple is not alone in their pursuit to save.
“What we’re seeing is a really big swing to people trying to save money on everyday essential items,” Sweeney said.
Pantry bargains like pet food, cat litter and coffee pods have seen a large increase in sales on the platform, proving more favourable than traditional top sellers like Birkenstocks and Asics.
Retail expert Gary Mortimer said not everyone can afford the upfront costs of buying in bulk, but encouraged families to join forces to save at the checkout.
“One of the options around would be to form a co-op, you know, with family and friends, to buy in bulk then simply split the costs when you get home,” Mortimer said.
With daily orders at The Catch warehouse expected to increase to 10,000 in the lead-up to the Christmas period, many families are choosing to kickstart their Christmas shopping early.
“That is one of the things we find helpful is to try and start earlier and spread that cost out across the year … it does help going into December,” Zac said.
“Just to get ahead and to save money now, because I am going to need that money in December,” Alexandra added.
