Our Vhembe food basket showed a moderate increase of R14.66 in July, but the figure may be slightly flattering as the basket does not contain any meat items. Meat prices have soared in recent months, contributing to the rise in the consumer price index (CPI) to 3.5% last month.
The rise in food prices was sharper in two regions, Nzhelele and Louis Trichardt, where our food basket recorded monthly average increases of R58.58 and R55.59 respectively.
Across the region, the main drivers of higher costs were peanut butter (up 16.99%), self-raising flour (up 13.39%) and jam (up 12.9%). On the positive side, egg prices dropped 20.35% (almost R31 less for 60 eggs), while the price of a 10kg bag of potatoes fell by R15.73 (19.94%).
The average price for the basket in July and the first week of August is R3,399.59.
How do we measure the basket?
This is the fifth food-basket survey we've conducted this year, with the first launched in March. The project was inspired by data journalism platform The Outlier and follows a simplified version of the methodology developed by the Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity Group (PMBEJD), which tracks the cost of a 44-item basket commonly bought by women in low-income households.
Locally, we narrowed the basket to 20 essential items typically consumed by a family of seven over a month, working within a modest budget of about R3,500. Where possible, we used the PMBEJD's standard monthly quantities.
We surveyed 13 stores in three areas. In Elim, Louis Trichardt and Thohoyandou, we visited Boxer, Shoprite and Spar. In the Nzhelele area, we visited Shoprite, Spar, Boxer and OBC. All stores were checked on 8 August to ensure consistency.
This month we added two "mystery items" to broaden the scope and prevent store managers from focusing only on the "known" items. The additions were a 28-pack of instant noodles and a six-pack of candles.
Which region is the cheapest?
If you don't shop around, the Elim area is likely your best bet. The average cost of the food basket in Elim was R3,253.13, slightly cheaper than Thohoyandou's R3,346.52. Louis Trichardt was the most expensive, averaging R3,523.66 across the three stores surveyed.
But it is well worth the effort to compare prices. In Nzhelele, where we surveyed four stores, the difference between the most expensive and cheapest options was a staggering R1,218.96. Selectively buying from different stores could have reduced the basket cost to just R2,878.14.
As always, comparing products is not straightforward. At Shoprite in Nzhelele, 12kg of tomatoes cost R479.88. At Spar in the same area, the same weight was only R179.94. The quality and packaging were not the same, but in this market, price tends to outweigh packaging. Spar also benefits from sourcing some products locally, which can lower costs.
What happened since April?
One of the most concerning findings is that the basket has, on average, risen by R53.52 since our first survey in March/April. In Nzhelele, it increased by R81.80. In Thohoyandou, however, the basket price dropped by R91.76 – but Thohoyandou's April basket was unusually high at R3,438.29.
Products that pushed prices up included tomatoes (up R59.96 for 12kg) and frozen chicken portions (up R23.88 for 10kg). The biggest price drops came from eggs (down R51.20 for 60) and potatoes (down R50.63 for 10kg).
Do we have a winner?
To add some spice to the survey, we listed the three stores that consistently offered the lowest prices for the basket and our two mystery items.
It must be stressed that this does not mean these stores are always the cheapest to shop at. As noted, quality is not always comparable. A Spar house brand, for example, may not match a Boxer brand-name product.
Another factor is the use of "loss leaders" – products sold at very low prices, even at a loss, to draw customers in. The strategy is to get shoppers through the door in the hope they will also buy higher-margin items.
That said, the number one store for July and part of August was Spar Nzhelele, coming in at R3,198.83 for the basket and mystery items. Nzhelele also had the most expensive store: Shoprite, with a combined total of R3,925.30.
Second place went to Spar Thohoyandou at R3,331.12. Boxer in Elim was third, at R3,392.98.