Shoprite takes the lead as the most affordable retailer in May

In May 2025, Shoprite emerged as the most affordable retailer, with a total grocery basket cost of N$1,070.78, while Spar remained the priciest option at N$1,186.74 ,a N$115.96 difference for the exact same groceries.

This shift comes amid a notable basket update: starting May, the basket no longer reflects specific brands for certain products, instead the cheapest available items in each store was chosen, mimicking how budget-conscious consumers tend to shop.

Additionally, two new items , canned pilchards (400g) and canned corned meat (300g) — were added to the list. Fresh milk was replaced with long-life milk, beef stew with mince and white bread flour with vetkoek flour to better reflect consumer preferences.

Rank and total cost changes

Key Insights

• Shoprite not only increased the least despite two new items being added to the grocery basket, but it also moved up 3 ranks and became the cheapest option after ranking fourth in April.
• Spar, despite a moderate increase of 6.61%, remained the most expensive, with a total cost N$115.96 higher than Shoprite, highlighting significant savings potential for consumers who compare prices.
• Pick n Pay and Metro both saw an approximate 12% increase in their total grocery basket cost, resulting in both of them going down two ranks.
• Even though for chicken and toilet paper the cheapest option in store was chosen, meat products, toilet paper and vegetables were some of the biggest drivers of price increases across all retailers.

What’s in our basket and which retailer offers the lowest price?

Our monthly grocery price survey helps you shop smart and save more. Stay tuned for next month’s update.

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