The Consumer Council today (July 22) released its weekly price survey on a basket of 40 food and household items available at major supermarket chains and other retail outlets in the Fanling District.
In the analysis were listed the top 10 products with the most price differences found in this survey. Top on the list was: Coca Cola 330ml (from $2.9 to $6, or a price difference of 106.9%).
Following closely (between 101.3% and 66.1%) were: Dim Sum Hargow 8pcs ($8 to $16.1, or 101.3%); Sensitive Baby Wipe 63s ($17 to $31.9, or 87.6%); Throat Lozenge 40g ($10 to $16.8, or 68%); Sensitive Multi-Protection Fluoride Toothpaste 130g ($18 to $29.9, or 66.1%).
The remainders 5 of the top 10 list (ranging from 63.5% to 53.8%) were: Deep Hydrating Mask 5s ($55 to $89.9 or 63.5%); Bean Sauce 227g ($8.9 to $14.3, or 60.7%); Pretz Salad 78g ($6.9 to $11, or 59.4%); Dental Floss 50m ($13 to $20, or 53.8%); Insecticidal Fumigator 10g ($50 to $76.9, or 53.8%).
Other highlights in this weekly price survey covering (a) prepackaged food products, and (b) household and personal care products.
Prepackaged Food
- A total of 17 items in this category at 14 retail outlets, covering major supermarket chains, individual supermarkets, frozen food and grocery stores, health-and-beauty chains, food wholesale centres, and gas station convenience stores in the Fanling District, were compared for their prices.
- Considerable differences between the lowest and the highest unit prices were recorded, ranging from 4.5% to 106.9%.
- The survey showed individual retail outlets offered free gifts for promotion of designated goods. For instance, 1 major supermarket chain and 1 gas station convenience store offered 1 pack of 100g vermicelli free with Premium Thai Fragrant Rice Vacuum Treated 8kg.
- Some shops offered bulk purchase incentive. For example, 2 major supermarket chains offered All-Purpose Marinade with Herbs 410ml at $28.8 for 2, averaging $14.4 each, but the discounted price was still higher than those at other types of retail outlets.
- In the case of Pretz Salad 78g, 1 major supermarket and health-and-beauty chain offered $17 for 2, averaging $8.5 each, but even after the discount, they were still more expensive than the grocery stores.
- One frozen food store claimed also to offer bulk-purchase price discount with Dim Sum Hargow 8pcs at $24 for 3, averaging $8 each, which turned out to be the same as its unit price, thus in fact offering no discount at all.
Household/Personal Care Products
- A total of 23 items in this category at 12 retail outlets was surveyed, with price differences ranging from 11.2% to 87.6%.
- Some shops offered free gifts for purchase of designated items. For instance, 1 major supermarket chain offered a bathing set for the purchase of Hydrating Tenderness Body Wash 720ml.
- For bulk-purchase price incentives, 1 health-and-beauty chain offered Sensitive Multi-Protection Fluoride Toothpaste 130g at $45.9 for 2, while another offered the same product at $46 for 2, averaging in both cases $23 each, but the discount price was still higher than those at drugstores.
- 1 major supermarket chain offered Pads Natural 18s at $49.8 for 2, averaging $24.9 each but again the discount did not bring the price to down to those at drugstores.
Results of the weekly price survey are available on the Council's website, its Consumer Advice Centres, and the Public Enquiry Service Centre of North District Office.