MoneySaver Forum

I want to find a good, independent supermarket near me in Melbourne. My closest supermarket is the Smith St Safeway and frankly it's disgusting. Aside from the people who hang around outside asking for money, the vegies are awful and there's never enough staff. Anyone have any suggestions for me?

How far are you willing to travel?

Scott's Meat pies at South Melbourne Coles on Clarendon are 4 for $3 - that is like $0.75 for one pie - damn that is good.

I would suggest a temporary fix for now - as in 2009, all Safeways are being completely revamped and becoming Woolworths. Complete refurbishments state-wide to every single Safeway supermarket. If you've been shopping at the Camberwell or Preston Woolworths (previously Safeway) you'll see the level of quality they're going for, it's amazing. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Safeway_(Australia)#Rebranding_of_Safeway_to_Woolworths

mmm pies

oh and speaking of pies, here's a tangent: check out the free donuts in the free stuff section! mmm donuts

yes i know werribee went and revamp the supermarket it used to be woolworth than they change to safeway and they went back to the original name woolworths

Yes, definitely gives the scummier and smaller Safeway supermarkets a chance to get back on the map. In my area, the Bayswater store was never anything special, always a certain group of people hanging around the liquor entrance, it kind of puts you off wanting to shop there. After the refurbishment, these people have disappeared, the entire store, carpark, et cetera is a lot cleaner and nicer. Privately owned supermarkets are always nice, but at the end of the day, you're paying more. Woolworths is soon to be a beautiful place to shop state-wide, and their prices are unparalleled.

Wow - James you actually sound like a Woolworths sales rep. Are you? Let me ask you of your opinion of Safeway/woolworths adding more and more do it yourself swipe n' go - no check out assistance. Is this going to ruin the lives of many a teenager trying to earn a few bucks and gain some valuable life experience - or is it all for the impatient consumer?

The swipe 'n' go concept has been a huge success since its implementation. Not only does it greatly cut down staff numbers required to work the front end of a Woolworths store to allow them to save money on wages, it also allows the public to steal items when the staff member manning the self-serve checkouts is helping someone with their credit card being declined. A great system in my opinion.

So are you saying - give the coles/woolworths conglomerates more power and money buy cutting staff?!? It is doubtful as a result prices of goods would come down. Bring on the competition I say - with the likes of Costco, Aldi, Tesco - that will give the supermarkets back to the consumer - just look at the air-lines!!

So we're on the supermarkets subject....did you see the news about Coles/Woolworths/IGA employees slagging off customers on Facebook? (Yes, this is a plug for my latest blog - "99% of customers are thieves…according to supermarket employees"). Hilarious.

I must admit, during my experience at Safeway I saw quite a lot of theft, and it wasn't just customers either, the majority of theft was in the upper management. A manager needs items for doing tickets upstairs? They just got it off the shelf. They didn't write it off as stolen, damaged, used for the store, they just took it. No record of the stock disappearing. I saw it on a regular basis. It was especially funny when the same managers organised "shrinkage" meetings and did everything they could to blame the mysterious and continual loss of stock on us casual workers. I can honestly say that I saw more staff stealing things from Safeway than the customers.

I'd have to say Leos is fabulous in Heidelberg and Kew, can't go wrong with the amazing fresh food, and awesome deli options!

For fresh pasta you can't go past that place on Lygon St, too. I forget the name, but they have all different types of fresh, amazing ravioli - with beetroot, or smoked salmon, or pumpkin fillings etc....delicious