By Dylan Bettencourt
- Shoppers can lose money when taxi, petrol or delivery costs wipe out supermarket savings.
- A basket that is R30 cheaper becomes R10 more expensive after adding R40 in transport.
A supermarket special only saves you money if the saving is bigger than the cost of reaching the shop.
Scrolla’s Shoprite price check on Friday, 17 July, found that R95.98 bought:
2.5kg maize meal for R39.99
Two 400g tins of baked beans for R29
1kg carrots for R16.99
Half a medium cabbage for R10
This can be used as a nearby-store price for a Soweto shopper.
Imagine another supermarket advertises the same basket for R75.98. It looks R20 cheaper. But a R20 return taxi fare would remove the entire saving.
If the return trip costs R30, the distant basket must cost R65.98 or less to beat the nearby R95.98 basket.
If transport costs R40, the basket must cost R55.98 or less.
The same rule applies to petrol and grocery delivery charges.
Do not travel across town because one item is R10 cheaper. Compare the cost of everything you plan to buy.
Check whether the special requires a loyalty card, a minimum number of items or a larger pack than you need.
The best way to use a distant special is to combine the shopping trip with work, a clinic visit, grant collection or another journey you already need to make.
Pictured above: Shoppers should add taxi, petrol or delivery costs before deciding which supermarket offers the best deal.
Image source: File
