Shoprite (Independence) edges into first place in April 2026 with a basket total of N$ 963.79, overtaking Checkers which led the retailer segment in March.
Checkers (Grove Mall) slips to second last position this month at N$ 1,005.79, a notable reversal from its N$ 950.79 March total.
The full standings are tighter than last month at the top, but the spread between cheapest and most expensive remains wide at N$ 77.00 (Shoprite vs Spar), down slightly from March’s N$ 91.00 gap.
April 2026 Store Standings
| Store | Wins | Apr 2026 | Mar 2026 | Change | Position movement | |
| 1 | Shoprite (Independence) | 8/21 | N$ 963.79 | N$ 972.79 | N$ 9.00 | ▲3 |
| 2 | OK Foods (Independence) | 4/21 | N$ 965.79 | N$ 971.79 | N$ 6.00 | ▲1 |
| 3 | Metro (Eros) | 5/21 | N$ 968.79 | N$ 959.79 | +N$ 9.00 | ▼1 |
| 4 | Choppies (Otjomuise) | 4/21 | N$ 977.79 | N$ 973.79 | +N$ 4.00 | ▲1 |
| 5 | Model (Wernhil) | 3/21 | N$ 1000.79 | N$ 995.79 | +N$ 5.00 | ▲1 |
| 6 | Checkers (Grove Mall) | 4/21 | N$ 1005.79 | N$ 950.79 | +N$ 55.00 | ▼5 |
| 7 | Spar (Westlane) | 2/21 | N$ 1040.79 | N$ 1041.79 | N$ 1.00 | — |
Shoprite leads on staples and proteins this month. Shoprite recorded the cheapest prices on rice (N$ 33.99/2kg), cooking oil (N$ 68.99, tied with Choppies), dishwashing liquid (N$ 29.99), pilchards (N$ 29.99, tied with Model), and potatoes (N$ 18.99, the lowest in the survey by N$ 1.00 over Choppies). Its protein pricing is also competitive, with chicken at N$ 99.99 a mid-range option and mince at N$ 108.99.
Checkers drops sharply from first to last. Checkers (Grove Mall) led the retailer segment in March at N$ 950.79 and now sits at N$ 1,005.79, a N$ 55.00 basket increase in a single month. The main drivers appear to be fresh produce (tomatoes at N$ 46.99/kg, the most expensive in the survey by N$ 9.00 over Spar) and toilet paper (N$ 84.99, N$ 25.00 more than OK Foods). Checkers retains its advantage on mince (N$ 89.99, the cheapest in the survey by N$ 8.00 over OK Foods) and white bread (N$ 11.99, cheapest). But the fresh produce and household essentials pricing has pulled its total up considerably.
OK Foods offers the best fresh produce value. OK Foods posted the lowest prices for onions (N$ 19.99/kg) and the second-cheapest potatoes (N$ 21.99). Its toilet paper is the cheapest in the survey at N$ 59.99. These wins keep OK Foods competitive overall at N$ 965.79 despite not leading on many individual staple items.
Choppies wins on butter and is competitive on proteins. Choppies offers the cheapest Rama Butter (N$ 27.99) and is joint cheapest on cooking oil (N$ 68.99) and chicken (N$ 92.99, tied with Metro). Its overall basket of N$ 977.79 places it mid-table, but for households whose spending is concentrated on proteins and cooking essentials, it offers meaningful item-level value.
Metro holds mid-table with specific category wins. Metro (Eros) sits at N$ 968.79, just N$ 5.00 above Shoprite. It is joint cheapest on chicken (N$ 92.99) and competitive on corned meat (N$ 31.99, cheapest in the survey) and bread (N$ 13.99). Its basket increase from March (N$ 959.79) is modest at N$ 9.00, reflecting stable pricing across most categories.
Spar remains the most expensive. Spar (Westlane) has held the highest basket total in both March and April, N$ 1,041.79 and N$ 1,040.79, respectively. Its N$ 1.00 month-on-month improvement is negligible. Spar’s pricing is consistently at or near the top across most categories, with maize meal (N$ 73.99), pasta (N$ 95.99), and potatoes (N$ 34.99) all among the most expensive in the survey. Spar does offer the cheapest washing powder ($ 62.99, tied with Checkers), a single bright spot in an otherwise expensive basket.
Fresh produce is where the biggest swings happen. Tomato prices range from N$ 29.99/kg (Shoprite) to N$ 46.99/kg (Checkers), a N$ 17.00/kg gap across the same item. Onion prices run from N$ 19.99 (OK Foods) to N$ 34.99 (Checkers), a N$ 15.00 range. These are the highest-variance items in the entire survey and have the most direct impact on what shoppers actually pay at the till for a typical weekly shop that includes fresh vegetables.
Conclusion & Consumer Takeaway
April 2026 brings a meaningful change at the top of the retailer segment. Shoprite (Independence) takes the most affordable basket at N$ 963.79, with OK Foods (N$ 965.79) and Metro (N$ 968.79) clustered tightly behind it — a N$ 5.00 spread across the three cheapest stores, which for most shoppers is negligible. Checkers’ reversal from first to last is the most significant story of the month, driven by higher fresh produce and household essential prices rather than any change in its staple or protein competitiveness.
For consumers doing a full weekly shop, the choice between Shoprite, OK Foods, and Metro will come down largely to location and convenience — the price difference is too small to justify a dedicated trip. Where meaningful savings exist is on specific high-variance items: buying tomatoes at Shoprite instead of Checkers saves N$ 17.00/kg; buying toilet paper at OK Foods instead of Checkers saves N$ 25.00 per pack; sourcing mince from Checkers saves N$ 18.00-N$ 30.00 per kilogram versus Model or Metro respectively. Category-aware shopping across two nearby stores continues to offer the most practical route to meaningful savings in the Windhoek retail market.
