Eggs

Egg-cellent result for ALDI Lodge Farms eggs

Aussies love an egg or two for breakfast, and add some bacon and baked beans, and you have yourself a classic! There are plenty of benefits to eating eggs – a fix of protein and a good source of fat – but when deciding whether to go with ‘free range’ or ‘caged eggs’, Aussie consumers are left to decipher the truth for themselves between the blurred lines of the egg industry. Like with many supermarket foods, taking the cheaper option could mean sacrificing on quality. But unlike with most other items, buying eggs also comes with a moral and ethical judgement call.

Canstar Blue’s survey revealed that 83% of shoppers who buy free range eggs do so because they think they taste better and are generally better quality, while 85% also cite not wanting to support the caged egg industry as a reason. 82% are happy paying more for what they think are free range eggs, but many (62%) are not entirely convinced that the eggs they buy are as free range as they are claimed to be.

When it comes to those who buy caged eggs, 91% do so because they are the cheapest option, but most of these consumers (88%) said they would buy free range eggs if they were cheaper. About three out of ten caged egg buyers (29%) feel guilty for buying caged eggs, while 26% feel they are judged for doing so.

We’re not here to judge one way or the other, but to publish the latest feedback we have received from consumers. Our customer satisfaction ratings include brands that sell both free range and caged eggs. If you’re concerned about this issue, it’s important to do your research before making a purchase.

With the debate aside, Canstar Blue surveyed more than 2,000 Australian adults about their most recent purchase of eggs from a supermarket or grocer, asking them to provide their feedback on factors such as taste and value for money. Ten brands received the minimum sample size to be included in the review, but only ALDI Lodge Farm achieved five stars for overall satisfaction, in addition to taste, freshness and value for money.

Other noteworthy results included:

• Just 4 You received five stars in regards to value for money.
• More than half of the brands scored five stars for freshness, with only Woolworths Select and Coles brand eggs achieving three stars.
• Manning Valley Eggs, Sunny Queen Farms and Woolworth Macro Organic joined in ALDI with top marks for taste.
• For overall satisfaction, Coles and Aussie Farmers Direct scored three stars. It should be noted that Aussie Farmers Direct has since gone out of business.

The traditional supermarket home brands have had mixed results this year, with ALDI sitting at the top and Coles towards the bottom while Woolworths is sat in between the two. It seems that ALDI strikes a good balance between quality and price with its eggs, much like it does in various other food categories.

About the winner – ALDI Lodge Farms

ALDI typically performs well in Canstar Blue’s customer ratings for various food & drink products. It also achieved top spot for its eggs back in 2016. The ALDI Lodge Farms brand produces free range extra-large eggs that are stated to be a product of Australia. Its standard carton of 12 eggs (700g) costs $4.

This year, ALDI has also topped our ratings for fresh milk, long life milk, butter and multigrain bread.

You may also be interested in our ratings for:

• Wholemeal Bread
• White Bread
• Margarine
• Block Cheese

And to see how online grocery shopping websites compare, follow the link below to this year’s ratings:

Online Grocery Shopping Reviews