MADRID
WITH the prices of basic foodstuffs having fallen by 1.5 percent last year, families are now placed to make average savings of 1'300 euros per year on their household shopping bills, industry watchdog OCU said yesterday.
Savings will nevertheless depend on the area of the country shoppers are living, confirmed the OCU, as well as the supermarket of their choice.
After a study undertaken through visits to 971 shops, markets and supermarkets in 53 cities and research into 12 on line stores, the cheapest products were found at Dani, Alcampo, Sangui and Familia. In terms of in-house brands, the most economical were produced by LIDL, followed by Alcampo and Carrefour.
The Balearics emerged as one of the cheapest regions of the country so far as food shopping was concerned along with Murcia and Galicia whilst the most expensive proved to be the Canary Islands, Navarre and the Basque Country.
The economic crisis, said the OCU survey, had definitely shaped the way that shoppers chose products from supermarket shelves. Own brand products, usually cheaper than other options, were taking pride of place in the supermarket trolley of as many as 41 percent of shoppers as a means of keeping the final bill down.
Regarding the VAT increase at the beginning of July this year, OCU said the supermarkets have had ample time to prepare and have absorbed the rise without a significnat impact on sales.