Highlights of the latest bi-weekly price survey, released today (July 3) and conducted on a basket of 15 commodities (12 food and 3 non-food items) at a total of 18 different retail outlets in the Shatin district include:
The items were found with price differences ranging from 2.6% to 64%. The biggest price difference among these retail outlets was found in Peppermint Flavour Sugarfree Gum 28g ranging in price from $5, the lowest, to $8.2, the highest, a price difference of $3.2 or 64%.
The highest and the lowest price of this item was both found in grocery/frozen food stores in the district.
Price differences of over 50% were recorded in 2 other food items: Shanghai Noodles 340g (from $4.5 to $6.8 or 51.1% difference); Shrimp Water Dumpling 108g (from $7.9 to $11.9 or 50.6% difference).
The highest and the lowest price of the Shanghai Noodles were both recorded in major supermarket chain stores while in the case of the Dumpling, the highest price was found in a major supermarket store and the lowest in a grocery/frozen food store.
Notable price differences were found also in Sesame Soda Cracker 130g (from $3.5 to $5 or 42.9% difference); and Fruit Chewy Candy 37.5g (from $3.6 to $5 or 38.9% difference).
The remainder 7 food items were also found with price differences of a smaller extent between 2.6% and 36.7%.
For the price conscious shopping for the lowest price, the survey showed that out of the 12 food items, grocery/frozen food stores scored 10 items at the lowest price, major supermarket chain 1 item, and the drugstore also 1 item.
In the category of the 3 non-food items, the price differences of the items in the survey ranged from 24.4% to 54.1%.
The higher price difference of 54.1% was found in the Moisturising Shower Foam 2L from $22 to $33.9 or a difference of $11.9. Generally, drugstores were cheaper by comparison with the big supermarket chains and health-and-beauty chain stores.
Results of the bi-weekly price survey are available for reference of consumers at the Council's website, its Consumer Advice Centres as well as the Public Enquiry Service Centre of Shatin District Office.