There is virtually no price difference between the State's biggest supermarkets but big discounters and some independent retailers can offer consumers significant value for money, a study published today has shown.
The National Consumer Agency (NCA) carried out an extensive survey comparing grocery prices between Ireland 's multiples, symbol groups, discounters and independents shops.
It indicates that while the big four supermarkets - Tesco, Dunnes, Superquinn and Supervalu - can be cost effective when it comes to branded goods, independent retailers, and the discount stores Aldi and Lidl offered significant value on meat, fruit and vegetables.
The NCA report found that while there was only 35 cent between Tesco and Dunnes Stores for a basket of 61 branded goods, Aldi and Lidl demonstrated real price competition between each other and competed very favourably with Dunnes, Tesco and Supervalu's mid range own brand products.
The survey compared branded, non-branded and own-brand goods across a wide range of stores throughout the State. The range of products surveyed included branded goods taken from the Top 100 Brands list compiled by AC Nielsen for Checkout magazine, the CSO and comparatives with own-brand products; own brand products; loose and pre-packed meats; loose and pre-packed fruit and vegetables.
The outlets surveyed were Dunnes Stores, Superquinn, Tesco, Supervalu - which, the NCA says, is proving to be a real price competitor for Dunnes and Tesco - Spar, Centra, Eurospar, Aldi and Lidl, independent butchers and independent fruit and vegetable shops.
"The key findings demonstrated by the survey were that there is virtually no price difference between Dunnes Stores and Tesco," said Ann Fitzgerald, Chief Executive of the National Consumer Agency."However, Supervalu is proving to be a real competitor to Dunnes Stores and Tesco. Discounters, Aldi and Lidl are also demonstrating real price competition between each other. They also compete very favourably with Dunnes, Tesco and Supervalu's mid range own brand products," she said.
Ms FitzGerald added that when the pricing between independent butchers and fruit and vegetable retailers were compared prices ranged greatly between independent retailers throughout the country."While the multiples and Supervalu demonstrated only small price differentials between each other, independent retailers were vastly cheaper in some cases and more expensive in others," she said.
The survey also carried out comparisons of own-brand goods between Tesco, Dunnes, Aldi , Lidl and Supervalu.Of 32 own-brand products in common between Dunnes Stores and Tesco, there was a price differential of 1.1 per cent.Findings also showed that there was a 16.8 per cent difference across 48 common own-brand goods between Aldi (€71.45) and Lidl (€61.17).
Dunnes Stores, Lidl and Aldi had 28 goods in common with a price difference of 56 per cent between the cheapest (Lidl - €30.68) and Dunnes Stores at €47.85.Tesco, Aldi and Lidl had 44 goods in common with price differential of 52 per cent between cheapest (Lidl - €57.82) and Tesco which was the dearest (€87.89.)
Of 26 goods in common between Aldi, Lidl and Supervalu stores the price differential between the cheapest, (Lidl - €31.95) and the most expensive Supervalu store (€46.27) was 44.8 per cent.
"As grocery prices go up due to international factors, price and value for money become even more important and our strong advice to consumers is to split their shopping basket if possible and to seek value in the range of shops available to them," Ms Fitzgerald said.
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