Consumer Council released its 'Supermarket Price Survey' of July. When comparing the data collected in June, 33 percent of the surveyed products recorded a price decrease, 24 percent of the products remained no change in price, while 43 percent of the products had recorded a slight increase in price. The overall price increases were from below 1 percent to 3 percent. Consumer Council collected prices of about 340 products in its latest 'Supermarket Price Survey' dated18th July. In comparison with the 339 products surveyed in June, prices of 113 on-shelf products had been decreased and these items included rice, canned foods, toothpaste and tissue papers. For the 146 on-shelf products which recorded price increases, the items were mainly noodles, beverages, seasonings and snacks. Many beverage brands surveyed had recorded an increase in price of over 10 percent. 80 on-shelf products surveyed had remained no change in price. The current survey reviewed that prices of the over 300 on-shelf products remained stable, with an overall price increases of below 1 percent to 3 percent, and most staple foods had recorded a decrease or remained stable in price. The Council also analyzed the numbers of lowest price products available in the 15 supermarkets surveyed. Tai Fung supermarket in Taipa recorded the most numbers of lowest price items in which 120 items sold at Taipa Tai Fung recorded the lowest price among all surveyed supermarkets. Tai Fung supermarket at Estrada do Repouso branch ranked the second, with 61 of its on-shelf items having the lowest price, and the third place went to San Miu supermarket located at Brás da Rosa, with 55 of its on-shelf items being recorded with the lowest price. Starting from June, consumers can make price comparison in a more convenient way by accessing to the function of 'Lowest Price in Town' of the 'Supermarket Price Information Platform' iPhone and Android apps where they can browse the latest numbers of lowest price products found in the 15 surveyed supermarkets.
Among the 4 supermarket chains surveyed, selling prices were found to vary in different branches in different regions and price discrepancies were observed again in branches of San Miu and Tai Fung supermarkets. Price differences were found for over 180 on-shelf items sold in both Tai Fung supermarket Taipa branch and Estrada do Repouso branch, of which the items of beverages, snacks and sanitary and hygienic products were found to have price discrepancies from 1 to 25 percent. Over half of the 250 on-shelf items sold in both San Miu supermarket R. dos Mercadores branch and Brás da Rosa branch were found to have price discrepancies, with percentage differences of 5 percent to over 35 percent. From around the 280 on-shelf products sold in both Royal supermarket S. Lourenco branch and Avenida do Almirante Lacerda branch, only 7 products were found to have a difference in prices, with the greatest price discrepancy of 16 percent. 12 percent of the on-shelf products sold in the two Park'n Shop branches were found to have price discrepancies and the items were mainly canned foods and shampoos. Consumers are advised to check with the information available on the Council's website (www.consumer.gov.mo), especially the function of 'Top Ten Price Differences'. Consumers can also download the 'Supermarket Price Information Platform' iPhone and Android apps to make price comparisons.
The latest 'Supermarket Price Survey' is now available on Consumer Council's website (www.consumer.gov.mo), and the 'Supermarket Price Information Platform' iPhone and Android apps. The survey is also available free of charge at the offices of Consumer Council, IACM's Iao Hon and S. Domingos Markets, bookstores and libraries. Consumers may also access the resources through WAP channels on their mobile phones. For enquiry, please call 8988 9315.
