Branded grocery price survey shows 14% drop in prices
- Latest NCA grocery survey reveals 14% drop in multiples' branded grocery prices from January 2009 to July 2010
- Price matching still evident among multiples
- Increase in special offers and promotions
10 August 2010
The National Consumer Agency's latest, and largest ever, branded grocery price survey. compares the price of a basket of 103 branded grocery items in Tesco, Dunnes Stores and Superquinn, and a basket of 87 items when SuperValu is included.
The survey shows that the multiples' prices have dropped in the region of 14% between January 2009 and July 2010. The report is the third of the NCA's segmented pricing surveys and follows over the counter medicines and doctors and dentists.
The results show virtually no price difference on branded goods between Tesco, Dunnes Stores and Superquinn, with a difference of only €1.14 or 0.4% between the cheapest and most expensive for a basket of 103 items.
The cost of this basket was cheapest in Dunnes Stores at €279.62, and most expensive in Superquinn at €280.76. The cost of the basket in Tesco was €280.69. This compares to a price difference of 4% in July 2009 between the cheapest and dearest for a basket with 68 items.
On the basket of 87 common products surveyed across Tesco, Dunnes Stores, Superquinn and two SuperValu stores, the total difference between the cheapest and most expensive was €5.75, or 2.4%.
Special offers
At the time of the survey, there were 36 special offers, including monetary offers, available in Dunnes, Tesco and Superquinn.
This compares to 18 in June 2009 and seven in January 2009. In the latest survey, 48% of products in the comparison of Tesco, Dunnes and Superquinn had identical prices, compared to 71% in June 2008.
Background
The research was conducted by Amárach Research on behalf of the NCA. NCA staff surveyed the prices on a list of 125 branded goods on 13 July 2010 in the following locations:
- Tesco "Supermarket", Tallaght Shopping Centre
- Dunnes Stores, Cornelscourt
- Superquinn, Blanchardstown
- SuperValu, Monaghan
- SuperValu, North Dublin
Learn more
Download the following data and analysis about the survey:
View Amárach's presentation of the key findings (PowerPoint, 556KB)
View the presentation on Slideshare