How much is basic grocery basket in Tzaneen?
The Russia-Ukraine war has put fuel and food prices under pressure. Add to it the rise in inflation, food prices have increased dramatically and South Africans are feeling the pinch. The Herald compared the prices of three local supermarkets in the last ten dayso see how much a basic grocery basket will cost you
According to an article published on the website, supermarket.co.za, the Competition Commission’s latest essential food pricing monitoring report has listed certain fruits, meat and cooking oil as items that have been subject to volatile price increases. In the article written by three experts, it was noted that such price increases had the most detrimental impact on poorer communities. It says that not all essential food price increases have been due to the Covid-19 pandemic. “Changing weather conditions (from drought to heavy rain), oil price fluctuations, serious supply chain blockages and massive geopolitical challenges, have all led to a decrease in supply and a subsequent increase in prices,” the article reads.
“While contending with serious supply chain concerns, suppliers and retailers in the essential food items sector should carefully consider any price increases and ensure that they are able to be justified,” it concludes. On the same website, Ntando Thukwana of Business Insider writes consumers can expect oil to be priced between R99.99 to R119.99 for 2-litre’s worth, quoting Morne Botes, commercial director for SOILL, which owns the B-Well and African Gold oil brands. Botes said that the increases are currently being managed by producers, manufacturers, and retailers and will be phased in slowly to prevent panic buying and to sell the available stock at a fair price.
Also read: Relentless fuel price increase continues
“The increases are coming… Some pricing might already have changed, but the full change in price is not visible yet,” Botes said. He referred to the Russian invasion of Ukraine that sent prices of several essential commodities soaring, including edible oils such as sunflower oil – which was already in short supply over the last few years after poor harvests of sunflower, palm, soya, and canola in crucial regions of the world. The war also erupted during Ukraine’s critical March/April planting season, which bodes poorly for prices going into 2023. “The risk is also not just on edible oil for consumption that we purchase in store, oil is an input in most of your favourite products you buy in store (i.e., margarine, sauces, crumbed products, etc.), so all these products prices are affected as well,” Botes told Business Insider.
It was recently also reported that he average cost of a monthly food basket for South African households has increased by 8.6% in one year, higher than the figure reported by Stats SA, primarily due to the fuel price hikes. The Herald visited three supermarkets in Tzaneen, Shoprite, Pick n Pay and Premjee to check how much some of the basic items cost after the inflation: The items are: • 2,5kg Selati sugar, • 5kg White Star maize meal, • 410g Koo baked beans, • 410g Lucky Pilchards, • 750g Ricoffy, • 2kg Sunlight washing powder, • 2kg Spekko rice, • 1kg Stork Country Spread, • 2l Excel cooking oil, and • 750ml Sunlight diswashing liquid Herald found that the total amount of the items in each shop are as follows: Premjee costs R446,99, Shoprite costs R574,89 and Pick n Pay costs R551,89. * Prices reflected were collected over ten days.
ITEMS PREMJEE SHOPRITE PICK N PAY
Cooking oil R74.99 R83,99 R89,99
Maize meal R46,99 R61,99 R39,99
Sugar R43,99 R42,99 R51,99
Washing powder R43,99 R59,99 R51,99
Dish soap R24,99 R31,99 R24,99
Canned fish R22,99 R22,99 R22,99
Ricoffy R99,99 R99,99 R99,99
Beans R13,99 R12,99 R12,99
Margarine R44,99 R52,99 R46,99
Rice R29,99 R24,99 R33,99
Herald found that the total amount of the items in each shop are as follows: Premjee costs R446,99, Shoprite costs R574,89 and Pick n Pay costs R551,89. Prices reflected were collected over ten days. The Herald do not take responsibility if prices changed between the time of the survey and the time of going to print.
