It's true that South African consumers are generally very price-sensitive. With April 2024 month end fast approaching, I thought it would be a good idea to publish a grocery basket comparison across the top 7 Retailers in South Africa.
I have compared the same 9 items published by BusinessTech in their March Grocery Basket Showdown, and have updated the prices, relevant for April 2024.
Makro has come in as the cheapest retailer with a basket price of R348,60. It's worth noting that Makro has specials running on Sunflower Oil and toilet paper this month. Of the 7 retailers, only 3 came in at under R400.
Some of the grocery items are offered as bundled offers, which has also been highlighted in the table above.
In some instances, certain brands may be unavailable at certain retailers. For instance, Woolworths may not carry Albany Superior sliced white bread; however, they typically offer an alternative product that is comparable for the sake of comparison.
Due to variations in brand availability across stores, the least expensive options for bread, maize meal, sunflower oil, milk, and toilet paper are selected from each retailer. Any substitutions necessary are clearly outlined and justified in the accompanying table.
It's important to emphasize that while the chosen basket may not represent the absolute lowest-priced combination of items, it maintains consistency across retailers and ensures recognizability among middle-class shoppers.
Additionally, pricing may differ between regions or even among different franchises of the same retailer, such as Spar. This price comparison was completed in Gauteng, and includes a combination of online and store research. Therefore, the selected basket serves as a benchmark for comparison rather than an exhaustive search for the cheapest options. E&OE