“Who Got a Better Deal”: Verulam Grocery Haul Shoprite Shoppers Try To Get Best Value With R300

• A content creator challenged two people to spend exactly R300 each at Shoprite to see who could get the best value for their money
• The man bought protein-rich items like chicken necks and eggs, while the woman focused on getting multiple loaves of bread and fresh produce
• South Africans debated who made smarter choices as grocery prices continue to rise due to inflation and VAT increases

A KwaZulu-Natal content creator put two shoppers to the test in a grocery challenge that highlights just how far R300 can stretch at Shoprite during tough economic times.

Content creator @dalaucrew, known for creating challenge videos across KwaZulu-Natal which test people's shopping skills and decision-making, gave a man and a woman R300 each to spend at the Verulam Shoprite store. The pair had to buy only groceries without going over their R300 budget, and both had a tough start but were eventually able to find items that fit the budget.

The video was shared at the end of April with the caption:

"The R300 Month end @Shoprite South Africa grocery challenge with @Josh Jacobs vs @levana_hiralal - who got a better deal?"

Smart shopping strategies emerge

The gentleman, Josh, spent R297 and managed to pack his trolley with protein-heavy items, including a loaf of brown bread, a tray of 18 eggs, margarine, polony, and a 2.5kg bag of maize meal. He also grabbed a 400g bag of soya mince, five onions, a 2kg bag of rice, chicken necks, chicken giblets, potatoes, 750ml cooking oil, two litres of juice, a bag of cheesy puffs, and a 1kg bag of macaroni. His choices focused on getting filling foods that could stretch across multiple meals.

Meanwhile, Levana spent R298 and took a different approach by buying a 5-litre bottle of water, 2 litres of fizzy drinks, a litre of milk, and an impressive four loaves of bread, including two baked brown loaves and an Albany brown loaf. She also picked up a pre-packed tray of mixed fruits containing apples, bananas and pears, polony, the same 2.5kg maize meal, 750ml cooking oil, margarine, 18 eggs, salt, a pre-packed vegetable tray with cabbage, tomatoes, leeks and potatoes for stew, 1kg macaroni, soya mince, and 2kg rice.

The challenge comes at a time when South African families are feeling the pinch from rising grocery prices. The government's VAT increase could see household grocery baskets rise by approximately R375.16, bringing total costs to R5,477.84 according to the Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity Group. Essential toiletries and domestic products are expected to increase by R154.57, reaching R1,063.82, putting even more pressure on already stretched budgets.

However, certain staple foods remain VAT-free, including brown bread, maize meal, rice, vegetables, fruit, milk, eggs, and cooking oil - many of which both shoppers chose in their challenge. These zero-rated items help cushion the blow for lower-income households trying to make every rand count.

The content creator explained the reasoning behind these shopping challenges, saying they want to educate consumers to make good deals and wise spending decisions. By showing real people shopping with limited budgets, viewers can learn valuable lessons about stretching their money further during difficult economic times.

Watch the TikTok clip below:

Mzansi weighs in on shopping strategies

South African viewers had strong opinions about which shopper made better choices, with many praising the strategic thinking involved.

@noerjahnolan noted:

"The guy definitely knows how to shop."

@💖Fepi💖 questioned:

"Guys, how much is your 300 mara🥺🥺🥺"

@Olive challenged:

"Please give me R300 and tell me how many days the R300 needs to feed me. I think you can get better value for that money. 🥰🥰🥰"

@lovely Shonie🇿🇦🇿🇦 observed:

"This is teaching us how to plan. They went to the same store, but Josh's groceries can last for a few days."

@QueenFluffy declared:

"Joshua's makes sense. Four loaves...That was wasting money."

@lindamanka3 admitted:

"For the same items, I would have spent about R1200 because I would have bought Rama, Tastic, White star⭐ and 100% juice instead🤣"

Other people dealing with grocery prices

• Briefly News recently reported on Pick 'n Pay grocery prices that had South Africans comparing costs to another country, but the comparison left people completely stunned.
• A woman managed to get a full fast food feast for under R100 and shared her secret, but her method had people questioning everything they knew about budget eating.
• A South African woman's R800 grocery haul for her family of two went viral, but the amount of items she managed to buy left Mzansi completely speechless.

Source: Briefly News