Australians face 'most expensive groceries in the world'

Photo / Wikimedia Commons

Supermarket giants Coles and Woolworths are being blamed for Australians paying the fastest growing prices for groceries in the world.

According to new OECD price data, food prices in Australia have increased 41.3 per cent since the start of 2000, it has been reported this morning.

Spain has the next fastest rate of increase over that time at 41.2 per cent.

University of NSW associate professor Frank Zumbo said comparing costs over 10 years eliminated variables such as drought, and exposed Australia's "cosy" supermarket duopoly as the main reason for the price surge.

"When you look internationally, it is our market concentration which explains why our grocery prices are rising faster," he told News Ltd.

Earlier this year, the federal government dumped its criticised Grocery Choice website.

- AAP