The March 2026 grocery basket analysis reveals Checkers (Grove Mall) as the most affordable retailer, with a total basket cost of N$950.79.
This was followed closely by Metro (Eros) at N$959.79, indicating a narrow difference of just N$9.00 between the two lowest-cost options.
At the upper end, Spar (Westlane) recorded the highest basket cost at N$1,041.79, making it N$91.00 more expensive than Checkers. Other retailers, including Shoprite (Independence) at N$972.79, OK Foods (Independence) at N$971.79, and Choppies (Otjomuise) at N$973.79, were clustered within a tight range of around N$2.00, suggesting broadly aligned pricing strategies. Model (Wernhil) stood slightly higher at N$995.79, but still below Spar.
Key Observations
Pricing differences across retailers were largely driven by variations in key categories, particularly staples, proteins, and fresh produce.
Staple items were a key differentiator. Checkers consistently offered the lowest or joint-lowest prices across several core items, including maize meal (N$59.99) and sugar (N$52.99, in line with Shoprite). Metro also remained competitive, particularly on cooking oil (N$67.99) and pasta (N$82.99). In contrast, Spar recorded notably higher prices for staples, with maize meal priced at N$78.99, contributing significantly to its higher overall basket.
Protein products further reinforced the pricing gap. Checkers offered the lowest prices for chicken (N$79.99) and mince (N$99.99), while Choppies was also competitive on chicken at N$85.99. Other retailers, particularly Model and Spar, recorded higher prices in this category, with mince reaching N$119.99 at Model and N$113.99 at Spar, increasing their total basket costs.
Fresh produce showed more mixed pricing patterns. OK Foods stood out with the lowest price for onions (N$18.99) and potatoes N$17.99 (followed by Choppies (N$18.99). Metro recorded the lowest price for tomatoes (N$29.99). Checkers, despite being the cheapest overall, had relatively higher prices for some fresh items, including onions (N$39.99) and tomatoes (N$39.99), indicating that its overall advantage is driven more by staples and proteins than fresh produce.
Household essentials, including washing powder, dishwashing liquid, and toiletries, showed smaller price differences overall. However, Checkers and Metro generally maintained either the lowest or near-lowest prices across these items, contributing to their overall basket advantage. Spar, by comparison, tended to be priced at the upper end across several of these categories.
What’s in the basket?
The March 2026 grocery comparison highlights Checkers (Grove Mall) as the most cost-effective retailer, closely followed by Metro (Eros). Their advantage is largely driven by competitive pricing on core staples and protein products.
While most other retailers fall within a similar price range, Spar (Westlane) stands out as the most expensive, mainly due to higher prices on essential food items. The results suggest that even within a relatively tight pricing environment, differences in key categories can meaningfully influence total household spending.
This article was first published here in partnership with The Brief