Canstar Blue’s review of supermarket roast chickens has seen IGA, Costco, Woolworths and Coles compared on taste, freshness, packaging design, value for money and overall satisfaction.
IGA was rated best supermarket for roast chickens, after scoring five stars for overall satisfaction and in the majority of categories.
Nothing beats the tradition of a Sunday chicken roast, cooked to golden crispy perfection with herbs and potatoes. But if you’re not feeling up to cooking, a pre-cooked supermarket roast chicken could just as well make a great centerpiece to a no fuss meal with some salad and bread rolls. In fact, more than half of the respondents to our survey (67%) said they tend to buy a supermarket roast chicken as a lazy meal. Four in 10 (43%) have tried multiple supermarket rotisserie chickens.
To find out which stores offer the best combination of taste and value, we’ve asked over 1,900 Aussies to compare and rate any supermarket roast chickens they’ve purchased and eaten in the past three months on taste, freshness, packaging design, value for money and overall satisfaction. Those which met the minimum required survey sample size of 30 responses are included in these results.
Our review featured all four major supermarkets, but only the Independent Grocers of Australia (IGA) rated best for its roast chickens, receiving a near perfect score across the board.
Here are the best supermarket roast chickens in Australia, as rated by consumers in Canstar Blue’s inaugural review:
IGA roasted the competition to top our ratings for supermarket roast chickens, scoring full marks for taste, freshness, packaging design and overall satisfaction. IGA also got a solid four stars for value for money.
Runner-up Costco managed to enjoy a taste of sweet victory over IGA, as the only supermarket to score five stars for value for money. It also got five stars for freshness and a satisfactory four stars in the remaining categories.
Woolworths and Coles received four stars for value for money, with Woolies also getting four stars for freshness. However, both supermarkets bottomed out on three stars overall.
IGA is a chain of independently operated supermarkets owned by Metcash, with more than 1,600 stores across the country. Short for ‘Independent Grocers of Australia’, IGA stocks a wide range of grocery and general products, and also has its own generic food brand ‘Black and Gold’. IGA stores typically offer several deli-cooked chickens, including whole cooked cold chicken, a sage onion cold chicken and a classic roast chicken, as well as shredded options and different cuts. Prices start from $7.99 for a classic whole roast chicken.
There’s a lot to think about when shopping for a rotisserie chicken. First, you’ll need to consider all matters of size. If you’re preparing lunch for the whole family for example, then anything other than a whole cooked chicken simply won’t cut it. On the other hand, if you’re just sorting out a dinner for two, then a half chicken should be more than enough. Most supermarkets sell whole roast chickens, as well as half cuts and other parts. Curious as to what Aussies like best? Here’s what our survey respondents said were their favourite chicken bits:
Secondly, you’ll need to think about flavours. Most deli sections in supermarkets will offer classic roast chickens as well as other flavours like garlic herb butter or sage and onion stuffing. Whatever you choose is subject to personal preference, but always pay attention to how fresh your roast chicken looks. If it looks dry or somewhat undercooked, forget it. Your roast chicken should look tender and well sauced from the outside.
This report was written by Canstar Blue’s Home & Lifestyle Content Lead, Megan Birot. She’s an expert on household appliances, health & beauty products, as well as all things grocery and shopping. When she’s not writing up our research-based ratings reports, Megan spends her time helping consumers make better purchase decisions, whether it’s at the supermarket, other retailers, or online, highlighting the best deals and flagging anything you need to be aware of.
Picture credits: www.iga.com.au.
Canstar Blue surveyed more than 3,000 Australian adults across a range of categories to measure and track customer satisfaction, via ISO 26362 accredited research panels managed by Qualtrics. The outcomes reported are the results from customers within the survey group who have purchased and eaten a supermarket roast chicken in the last three months– in this case, 1,903 people.
Brands must have received at least 30 responses to be included. Results are comparative and it should be noted that brands receiving three stars have still achieved a satisfaction measure of at least six out of 10. Not all brands available in the market have been compared in this survey. The ratings table is first sorted by star ratings and then by mean overall satisfaction. A rated brand may receive a ‘N/A’ (Not Applicable) rating if it does not receive the minimum number of responses for that criteria.