Study: Price gap between cheapest and most expensive shopping basket is nearly 40 percent

TALLINN - A price survey conducted on March 5 by market research firm SeeNext across Estonia's largest retail chains revealed that the price difference for an identical shopping basket is nearly 40 percent.

The most affordable basket was found at a Lidl in Narva, costing just 24.77 euros. In contrast, the most expensive was at a Coop in Narva, priced at 39.29 euros.

Although both the most expensive and the cheapest shopping baskets were recorded in Narva, on average, Narva was the most expensive city to shop in Estonia. The cheapest average basket across all retail chains in March was found in Tartu. However, the difference in the average basket price between cities was minimal, at just four cents.

Price differences within the same retail chain are significantly larger. The biggest price gap between cities was found within the Grossi chain, amounting to 6.28 euros. The most expensive basket was at a Grossi store in Tallinn at 36.68 euros, while the cheapest was in Narva at 30.40 euros. The smallest price difference between cities was at Lidl - a mere 4 cents.

The lowest total price for meat products was 6.33 euros at Lidl, and the highest was 11.08 euros at the Grossi chain. The price difference was therefore 4.75 euros.

Cereal products were also cheapest at Lidl, at 2.93 euros, and most expensive at Coop, at 5.38 euros. The price difference was 2.45 euros.

An analysis of fruit and vegetable prices showed they were cheapest at Lidl, costing 3.10 euros, and most expensive at Coop at 4.67 euros. The difference between the highest and lowest price was 1.57 euros.

Beverages were again cheapest at Lidl, at 2.44 euros, and most expensive at Coop and Rimi, where they cost 4.13 euros in both chains.

An analysis of the other products in the basket showed they were cheapest at Rimi for 3.38 euros and most expensive at Coop for 4.25 euros. The price difference was therefore 87 cents.

For the survey, SeeNext's mystery shoppers visited stores of the six largest retail chains in Tallinn, Tartu, and Narva - Maxima, Rimi, Lidl, Selver, Grossi, and Coop. A shopping basket of 28 of the most commonly used and cheapest everyday food items was compiled for the study, including dairy products, meat, cereal products, dry goods, fruits, vegetables, and beverages.

SeeNext's price comparisons are conducted monthly, considering the prices of 28 of the most commonly used and cheapest everyday food products in the largest retail chains operating in Estonia. Products are only compared across chains if they have similar quality, size, and packaging type.

The shopping basket consisted of 28 of the most consumed and cheapest products: apples, bananas, potatoes, onions, beets, carrots, white bread, spaghetti, loose long-grain rice, loose buckwheat, type 812 wheat flour, M-sized free-range chicken eggs, sunflower oil, white sugar, dark chocolate, boiled chicken sausage, fresh broiler chicken, minced pork, yogurt with at least 3 percent fat content, kefir in a plastic pouch, sour cream, milk in a plastic pouch, curd, butter, packaged aged cheese, orange juice, still mineral water, and non-alcoholic beer (excluding deposit).

Before a purchase is made, the items are photographed on the shelf and the receipt is saved. Product prices are analyzed and compared based on this data. A purchase is not included in the analysis without a product photo and a corresponding entry on the receipt. If a specified product is not found at the store, it is looked for in another store of the same retail chain. If the product is not found in the second store either, an alternative product from the corresponding product group is purchased.

The shopping basket is compiled in a way that allows for an objective comparison of its contents - the products have the same characteristics, the most similar packaging possible, and the same packaging type. This allows the study to compare the cheapest products with specific characteristics available across all retail chains. It should be noted that individual stores may offer cheaper products in the same category, but with different characteristics.

The study does not take into account customer loyalty cards, special offers, or container deposits. Product prices are presented without discounts and are based on the prices marked on the purchase receipt. For discounted items, prices were recalculated based on the original price shown on the receipt. In cases where the pre-discount price is not on the receipt but is visible on the price tag, the price from the tag is used for calculations. If the pre-discount price is not indicated on either the receipt or the tag and cannot be determined, the price printed on the receipt and actually paid is used. If the regular (non-promotional) price on the tag differs from the price on the receipt, a price discrepancy is recorded.

SeeNext is a company founded in Lithuania in 2016 that specializes in market research and mystery shopping. SeeNext offers a wide range of market research services and has been publishing price comparison studies since 2017.