Woolworths vs Pick n Pay: A Look at Who Is Cheaper After Viral TikTok Video

Woolworths vs Pick n Pay: A Look at Who Is Cheaper After Viral TikTok Video

  • Woolworths is the second cheapest shop in South Africa according to a study done recently
  • A woman recently showed off on TikTok how much she got at Woolies for R2 100, and it sparked a debate on whether Pick n Pay and Checkers are still cheaper
  • According to data, Food Lovers Market is the cheapest store to shop at, with Woolies coming in second

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Woolworths has a rep for being the posh grocery shop in South Africa. If stores were schools, Woolies would be the private school. It's where rich people buy organic veggies, freshly baked tiramisu cakes and grass-fed ground beef.

Woolworths, Woolies, Pick n Pay, groceries, food prices
Kirsty Geyser went viral after showing off her Woolies grocery haul for R2 100. We compared the prices to PnP. Photo credit: @kirstygeyser / TikTok.
Source: TikTok

However, somewhere along the line, things changed, and we're now seeing a shift in Mzansi's paradigm. Woolworths still delivers the same quality foods, but according to recent studies, the store now ranks as the second cheapest place to do grocery shopping in South Africa.

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Woman goes viral with TikTok showing what she got for R2 100 at Woolworths

TikTok user Kristy Geyser, aka @kirstygeyser, went viral in February when she showed how much goods she bought at Woolworths for R2 100. Briefly News reported that some social media users were surprised by the amount of food Geyser got for R2 100 at Woolworths. The reaction proved that many people still thought Woolies was way too expensive.

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Some people wanted the receipts - literally. Geyser had to share another video proving that she did spend only R2 100.

Take a look at the video below:

Geyser's video can be backed by data from The Outlier, which concluded that Woolworths is cheaper than PnP and Checkers. However, Woolies isn't the bargain king just yet. The study concluded that Food Lover's Market gave the most bang for your buck.

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The Outlier looked at how much a basket of nine staple foods would have cost in February. The items cost R393.87 at Food Lover's Market and would have been R48.04 more at SPAR.

SPAR was the most expensive, coming in at R441.91, followed by Pick n Pay at R416.21, Shoprite at R408.91, Checkers at R406.24 and Woolworths at R404.91.

SPAR, Pick n Pay, Shoprite, Woolworths, Checkers, Food Lover's Market
SPAR was R48.04 more expensive for nine staple items than at Food Lover's Market. Photo credit: The Outlier / Instagram.
Source: Instagram

Woolworth vs Pick n Pay: A look at who is cheaper

Geyser's video sparked a debate on social media. Even with statistics that show Woolies is not that expensive, many South Africans in her comment section still did not believe Woolworths is cheaper than Pick n Pay. We decided to list the food and cleanings Geyser bought and took a trip to Pick n Pay in Bethlehem.

Here is Geyser's video with her groceries:

Here is the comparison in prices at PnP:

The potatoes, butternut, onions and sweetcorn can be bought as part of a combo deal for R125.00.

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Potatoes, butternut, onions, Pick 'n Pay
Combo deal at PnP.
Source: Original

Tomatoes - R29.99

Two packs of butternut - R40.00

Lettuce - R22.99

Mandarins/naartjies - R49.99

Tomatoes, Lettuce, Butternut, Pick n Pay
Price of tomatoes, butternut and lettuce at Pick n Pay in March.
Source: Original

Bananas - R33.99

6 x Yoghurt Pick n Pay brand - R21.99 (we need two, which equals R43.98)

2 Litre PnP Sunflower oil - R94.99

2kg PnP White rice - R33.99

Yoghurt, Sunflower oil, Rice, Pick n Pay, Woolies, Woolworths
Price of Pick n Pay yoghurt, rice and sunflower oil.
Source: Original

Pasta Twirls - R19.99

2 x Macaroni - R14.99 (R29.98 for two)

Spaghetti - R 14.99

Pasta, Pick 'n Pay, Prices
Prices of pasta at Pick 'n Pay.
Source: Original

2 x Livewell Baked Beans - R12.99 (R25.98)

2 x PnP tomato puree - R19.99

Mayonnaise - R34.99

Mayo, beans, tomato puree, pick 'n pay, prices
Prices for Baked beans, tomato puree and mayonnaise at Pick 'n Pay.
Source: Original

Bottle PnP Crushed Garlic - R 35.47

Wholewheat tortilla wraps -R49.99

2 x Brown bread - R16.99 (R33.98)

bread, spice, Pick n Pay, prices
Prices of bread, PnP crushed garlic and tortilla wraps.
Source: Original

PnP Coffee - R99.99

PnP coffee, price
PnP Full Roast Pure coffee
Source: Original

Chicken drumsticks - R62.07 (However, the pack at Woolies was about three times bigger, so the price is +- R186.21)

Kassler chops - R44.19 for two (Geyser bought a pack of eight. Thus, R44.19 x 4 = R176.76)

Mince - Cheapest is R67.06 (two packs are equal to the amount Geyser bought at Woolies. So, R67.06 x 2 = R134.12)

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Kassler, groundbeef, chicken
Meat prices at PnP.
Source: Original

Beef strips - R111.43

Steak - +- R78.84

2x Pack pork grillers (6 in a pack) - R64.99

250g Ham - R42.99

steak, beef strips, ham, pork, pop, pick 'n pay
Meat prices at PnP.
Source: Original

Crumbed chicken schnitzels - R79.55

900g cheese - R158.21

1 x box of six chicken burger patties - R71.99

chicken, burger patty, cheese, pick 'n pay
Chicken and cheese prices at PnP.
Source: Original

Pick n Pay 2L Fabric Softener - R49.99

Ariel liquid - R114.99

Handy Andy - R32.99

Ariel, Fabric Softner, Handy Andy, Pick 'n Pay
Cleanings at PnP.
Source: Original

We could not find her plant at our local PnP. However, according to Woolworths' website, the plant costs R34.99. To get as close as possible to the accurate price difference, we deducted the herb plant's price from R2 123.82 (which was Geyser's exact receipt) and got R2 088.83. The same items at Pick n Pay worked out at R2 162,33.

Consumers are paying over R500 more for basic items

South Africans spend more on basic goods, no matter where they shop. According to the Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice & Dignity (PMBEJD) Household Affordability Index, consumers paid R516.40 or 11.7% more for essential items in January 2023 compared to the previous year.

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According to Business Live, PMBEJD collects data from 44 supermarkets and 30 butcheries in Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg, Pietermaritzburg and Springbok to determine how inflation affects food prices.

IOL reported that the data also showed a significant increase in the prices of basic items from December 2022 to January this year. South Africans paid an additional R64.25 for basic food goods in January compared to a month prior. It might not sound like a lot, but it is a 13% price increase.

BusinessTech added that the price of necessities in Mzansi continued to rise from January 2023 to February with R10.91 (0.2%). A basic food basket costs a whopping R572.64 (13.1%) more this year compared to February 2022.

Woolworths groceries on "student budget" in TikTok has Mzansi riled up, man spends nearly R5k at supermarket

In similar news, Briefly News reported on a TikTok user who had Mzansi up in arms over a shopping haul at Woolies on a "student budget". TikTok creator @tonydacar made a vlog about his Woolworths shopping spree. The dental student bought various food and household items totalling R4 900.

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Bemused people pointed out that @tonydacar's groceries on a supposed 'student budget' cost more than most families spend in South Africa.

TikTok user Rato commented:

"You forgot "rich" before student."

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Source: Briefly News

Authors:
Maryn Blignaut avatar

Maryn Blignaut (Human-Interest HOD) Maryn Blignaut is the Human Interest manager and feature writer. She holds a BA degree in Communication Science, which she obtained from the University of South Africa in 2016. She joined the Briefly - South African News team shortly after graduating and has over six years of experience in the journalism field. Maryn passed the AFP Digital Investigation Techniques course (Google News Initiative), as well as a set of trainings for journalists by Google News Initiative. You can reach her at: maryn.blignaut@briefly.co.za