Here you can post your reasons why or why not to buy at IGA stores. Remember to keep the discussion about evidence based reason, though opinion is welcome as long as it remains within Community standards regarding civility.
First, its not Colesworth (a moral choice on my part)
Second, while it isn’t the cheapest, they do support local community groups
Third, they have small businesses around them that I use - Bakery, butcher, green grocer, cafe and they are not in a large shopping mall.
Fourth, they have a wider range than my ‘warehouse’ supermarket and I use them for that ie flavours of jelly outside of the 4 that my usual shop stocks.
In the last 10 years they seem to have gravitated towards being a ‘convenience’ store with a large range of ready made meals, but a reduction in general grocery items.
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Reasons to NOT shop at IGA (based on experience with one small IGA).
They are dearer - as evidence by Choice & own observation
They no longer stock the wide range - ie only 6 of the 16 jelly flavours
They are now heavy on ‘convenience’ foods - confectionary, chips, ready meals, snacks; & less on fresh F&V
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I shop at IGA for all my groceries . Reason . Just like shopping there .Friendly staff . Products I like not available anywhere else .
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We don’t regularly shop at IGA, mainly because the nearest one is about 17.2km away (16 minutes drive). Where we live, there isn’t any advantages over our only local supermarket (2 minute walk away), which is a Woolworths.
We do visit IGA from time to time if passing or there is one in the town/city where we are visiting/shopping, but often find the staples we buy more expensive than the competition. They do however have specials from time to time which are competitive, but again, due to distance the saving for the specials would be less than the cost and time of the drive.
We are also conscious of using our car unnecessarily and as a result, won’t make special trips to supermarkets some distance away, when we can walk to our local one.
Parking at the the nearest IGA is very easy - car park usually only about 1/3 full.
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I don’t shop at IGAs because there isn’t one anywhere near us.
Many former IGAs have been bought out by ColesWorths, too 
. Our local Woolies Metro used to be an IGA, and it was well-liked and well-patronised by locals (including us). The Woolies is OK, but not as friendly and personal as the IGA was.
As @vax2000 says, IGAs also have products not available elsewhere. If there was one nearby I would shop there because of that.
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We don’t often shop at IGAs because each is an independent that decides what they will stock and it is inconsistent from store to store.
Over the years we found products we wanted at our closest IGA but they disappeared. When we are out and about away from our normal area we will stop into an IGA to look for said product(s) and found a small minority of IGAs stock them, none convenient.
The bottom line is IGA is a hit and miss for us and our nearest has nothing our Colesworths don’t stock but at higher prices.
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Can’t remember the last time I shopped at this little IGA shop, the only one near stkilda that I know of. Some time ago I would get a box of ice cream there because it’s near home and it wouldn’t melt (didn’t have the ‘ice-pack’ with me) but haven’t had ice cream for a long time, too much sugar content.
As you can see in the photo, that’s all the F&V available and at a much higher price than the big two. Not a great variety of any products. It’s almost like a convenience store in that it might be convenient to shop there on the way home for some last minute shopping.
It’s an affluent little suburb, people there value time above all, grab what they need and don’t mind paying more for it.
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Not all suburbs are affluent. One has to make the best of what one has. The prices are what they are. Barcaldine in central western QLD has the luxury of two choices. IGA or 4Square. Others only one.
There are many smaller rural towns throughout Australia where Colesworth have chosen to look the other way. The nearest of the duopoly to Barcaldine over an hour away in Longreach. Some would consider that nearby, looking to how it is for other townships.
IGA stores come in two sizes. Many are more a mini (local IGA) supermarket. The nearest supermarket to our home is such a version. We do shop there for convenience or for certain products or when short of milk or bread or in need of a hot chicken. We consider any price premium against the cost of the extra kms to the Woolies in the next township.
We have shopped often enough at IGA’s across QLD and NSW, Harris Farm and regional Coles/Woolies. Experience suggests it is difficult to judge what one will find at the next store based on the retailers brand alone. Assuming there is a choice in the first instance.
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Hear, Hear !!!
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