Checkers vs Woolies vs Pick N Pay: 3 Colleagues Go Grocery Shopping To Settle Cheapest Store Debate

• A Johannesburg creator and two colleagues put three major supermarkets to the test with identical grocery baskets at Rosebank Mall on 4 October 2026
• The trio bought the same household staples and everyday items at Pick n Pay, Checkers, and Woolworths to find out where South Africans get the most value
• South Africans flooded the comments with their own money-saving shopping tactics after the video went viral

A Johannesburg content creator settled a workplace grocery debate the only way that makes sense — by actually going shopping. Instagram user @costellas_closet and two colleagues headed to Rosebank Mall on 4 October 2026 and split up, each buying an identical basket of household staples at Pick n Pay, Checkers, and Woolworths. The basket included everyday items like milk, cooking oil, canned beans, chicken thighs, a ready meal, onions, tomatoes, white bread, rice, and a doughnut.

What the grocery baskets actually cost

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When all three returned with their receipts, the numbers told a clear story. Pick n Pay came in at R323.86, making it the most affordable of the three. Checkers followed at R337.35, while Woolworths landed significantly higher at R485.29. Even after accounting for differences in meat pack sizes between stores, Pick n Pay held onto its lead.

The gap between Pick n Pay and Woolworths was nearly R162, a figure that resonated with many South Africans watching the video during a period of financial pressure on household budgets.

Watch the full price comparison in the Instagram reel here.

Shoppers share their own money-saving tactics

The comments section quickly became a space for viewers to swap tips on stretching the grocery budget further, with many recommending split-basket strategies rather than sticking to a single store.

@jolytoe wrote:

"The best trick is to know what's on sale where 🔥."

@jeanharkett added:

"Food Lover's Market has great deals on staples 🔥."

@debbi3053 made a case for Woolworths in one specific category:

"Fruit and veg from Woolies definitely has the best cold chain."

@claudiadiasleong backed the results:

"Yep, Pick n Pay is definitely cheaper than Checkers. I have gone to both on several occasions, and Checkers is always more expensive."

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@jess__mulders kept it simple:

"Thanks, I needed this 🔥."

@kathleenswanevelder said:

"Love this."

More articles about groceries

• Briefly News reported that a university student showed how she used her "654321" budgeting strategy to buy a haul of groceries at Shoprite for under R600.
• Content creator Junior Hewu impressed Mzansi by showing how to stretch a strict R1,500 budget at Pick n Pay by packing his trolley with staple foods, pantry essentials, and household cleaning products.
• A South African woman working in China bought a large haul of groceries, including produce, meats, drinks, and household essentials, for R1,300.

Source: Briefly News