{"id":114694,"date":"2016-03-03T19:20:55","date_gmt":"2016-03-03T17:20:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/?p=114694"},"modified":"2016-08-18T17:45:09","modified_gmt":"2016-08-18T15:45:09","slug":"grocery-prices-in-south-africa-vs-the-uk-and-the-usa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/lifestyle\/114694\/grocery-prices-in-south-africa-vs-the-uk-and-the-usa\/","title":{"rendered":"Grocery prices in South Africa vs the UK and the USA"},"content":{"rendered":"

Consumer website, Retail Price Watch<\/a><\/strong> has compared the prices of a number of grocery items in the USA, UK and South Africa following reports that the latter is one of the most affordable countries in the world.<\/p>\n

GoBankingRates rated South Africa as the cheapest country in the world to live and retire. The site ranked 112 nations according to four key affordability metrics provided by online pricing database Numbeo.<\/p>\n

The findings sparked controversy among many who claim that the cost of living in South Africa is not affordable at all.<\/p>\n

Retail Price Watch compared the prices of 10 common household grocery items found in three countries: South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States.<\/p>\n

It found that the “theoretical basket” of goods – which contained branded goods including Dettol antiseptic liquid, Coca Cola and Kit Kats – was between 48% and 85% more expensive abroad.<\/p>\n

\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Brand<\/th>\nDescription<\/th>\nAverage price per 100g\/unit<\/span> RSA 2015<\/th>\nAverage price per 100g\/unit<\/span> RSA 2016<\/th>\nAverage price per 100g\/unit<\/span> UK 2016<\/th>\nAverage price per 100g\/unit<\/span> USA 2016<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
Kellogg’s<\/td>\nCorn Flakes Box<\/td>\n5.86<\/td>\n5.98<\/td>\n7.56<\/td>\n9.41<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Adidas<\/td>\nIce Dive Spray Deo<\/td>\n14.10<\/td>\n16.53<\/td>\n29.17<\/td>\n37.25<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Dettol<\/td>\nAntiseptic Liquid<\/td>\n4.80<\/td>\n6.05<\/td>\n9.96<\/td>\n27.92<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Johnson’s<\/td>\nBaby Powder<\/td>\n9.15<\/td>\n9.51<\/td>\n8.54<\/td>\n12.50<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Coca Cola<\/td>\nSoft Drink<\/td>\n0.77<\/td>\n0.46<\/td>\n2.81<\/td>\n1.76<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Nesquik<\/td>\nChocolate Milk Powder<\/td>\n7.29<\/td>\n7.84<\/td>\n12.77<\/td>\n13.00<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Knorr<\/td>\nChicken Liquid Stock<\/td>\n3.76<\/span><\/td>\n4.37<\/span><\/td>\n7.47<\/span><\/td>\n12.97<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Lipton<\/td>\nBlack Teabags<\/td>\n0.49<\/span><\/td>\n0.59<\/span><\/td>\n0.54<\/span><\/td>\n0.99<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Kit Kat<\/td>\nChocolate Wafer Bar<\/td>\n14.46<\/td>\n14.75<\/td>\n18.84<\/td>\n26.97<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Pringles<\/td>\nSour Cream and Onion<\/td>\n19.76<\/td>\n18.21<\/td>\n27.87<\/td>\n14.32<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nTotal<\/strong><\/td>\n80.26<\/strong><\/td>\n84.60<\/strong><\/td>\n125.52<\/strong><\/td>\n157.12<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Data was adjusted for slight differences in pack size in the three countries and using R21.35 to the GBP and R15.35 to the dollar on the day the survey was taken. This report used average everyday prices in supermarkets and did not take account of specials, which in the UK can be considerable<\/small><\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThe theoretical basket containing 100g or a single unit of each item cost R84.60 in South Africa in February 2016, R125.52 in the UK, and R157.12 at Walmart USA supporting the GoBankingRates finding,\u201d said\u00a0Viccy Baker of Retail Price Watch.<\/p>\n

According to Baker, there is some good news in the statistics – at current rates, it would still take South Africa seven years to reach the UK’s prices\u00a0– and almost 12 years to reach the USA’s prices.<\/p>\n

“The bad news is the fact that in February 2015 this basket cost R80.26 in South Africa, showing a 5.4% year-on-year inflation rate at the 2016 figure,” she said.<\/p>\n

Expressed as a percentage of average\u00a0monthly income* (from reported and estimated averages, in USD), however, things look a little different:<\/p>\n