Consumer Council released its 'Supermarket Price Survey' of June. When comparing the data found in May, 42 percent of the surveyed products recorded a decrease in the average prices, 32 percent of the products had recorded a slight increase and 26 percent of the products remained no change in price.
Consumer Council collected prices of over 300 products in its latest 'Supermarket Price Survey' dated 20th June. In comparison with the 336 products surveyed in May, prices of 140 products had been decreased by 1 to 2 percent, and these items included canned foods, seasonings and sanitary & hygienic products. For the 109 products which recorded price increases, the item was mainly beverages. Most of the beverage brands surveyed had recorded an increase in price of over 10 percent. 87 products surveyed had remained no change in price, and the overall prices of various rice brands remained stable. 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 108 items sold at Taipa Tai Fung recorded the lowest price among all surveyed supermarkets. Tai Fung supermarket at Fai Chi Kei Vai Choi branch ranked the second, with 79 of its on-shelf items having the lowest price, and the third place went to Park'n Shop located at R. Areia Preta, with 68 of its on-shelf items being recorded with the lowest price. Starting this month, 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 especially in branches of San Miu and Tai Fung supermarkets. Over 70 percent of the 230 on-shelf items found in both San Miu supermarket R. dos Mercadores branch and Nape branch were found to have price differences, of which the items of cooking oil and canned foods were found to have price discrepancies from 5 to over 10 percent. For Tai Fung supermarkets, price differences by up to 30 percent were observed in the 220 on-shelf items sold at its Taipa branch and Fai Chi Kei Vai Choi branch. The items that were found to have price discrepancies were mainly seasonings, snacks and household cleansing products. Prices of over 10 products sold in the two Royal supermarket branches and 30 products sold in the two Park'n Shop branches surveyed were also found to have price differences. Although the numbers of products found in above mentioned supermarket branches were fewer than those found in San Miu supermarket and Tai Fung supermarket branches, yet the price discrepancies of the same brand of products were greater, with a percentage difference of up to 42 percent. 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.
