Consumer's supermarket price survey

Media release:

Consumer's supermarket price survey

Pak'n Save is once again the country's cheapest supermarket and in the North Island well ahead of it nearest rivals New World and Countdown, Consumer NZ said today.

This is the 10th year in a row that Pak'n Save has come out cheapest, Consumer NZ Deputy Chief Executive David Naulls says. "Shopping there saves around $20 and sometimes more than that compared with shopping in other supermarkets," he said.

"Our undercover surveyors bought from a list of 40 top-selling products including bread, biscuits, milk, fizzy drinks, snacks, cheese, cat food and butter."

Pak'n Save Albany in Auckland was the cheapest at $115. The most expensive in Auckland was the Glenfield Foodtown at $140.

Pak'n Save is a no-frills supermarket - costs are kept down by keeping the stores plain and requiring customers to pack their own groceries. However, they do not carry as wide a range of brands or pack sizes as other supermarkets.

In the South Island New World was a clear second to Pak'n Save. Woolworths had the highest prices of the nationwide chains. The most expensive supermarket overall was Woolworths in Andersons Bay, Dunedin.

Naulls said Consumer compared the prices of items of identical brand and pack size within cities.

In the same region prices were similar. For example, Tauranga prices were often the same as those in Auckland, and similarly with prices in Wellington and Palmerston North, and Christchurch and Dunedin prices.

The Progressive chains, Woolworths, Countdown and Foodtown, were the most consistent - baked beans in all Countdown stores cost $1.85 while in all Woolworths and Foodtown stores baked beans sold for $1.95. Owners of Foodstuffs stores have some freedom to offer local specials so there was more variation, especially between Pak'n Save stores.

There are two players in the supermarket business. Foodstuffs consists of three regional co-operatives of owner-operated stores including New World and Pak'n Save. Progressive Enterprises runs the Woolworths, Foodtown and Countdown chains and the Fresh Choice franchise.

Full survey results can be seen online at www.consumer.org.nz or in the September issue of the magazine.
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