The nationwide analysis of retail prices shows that Poles buy the cheapest vegetables in hypermarkets. In turn, the most expensive is at discounters. The difference is considerable, as it is as much as 19 percent. The largest discrepancies are in the case of beetroot, potatoes and celery. The smallest ones can be seen on the example of peppers, cucumbers and zucchini. On the other hand, prices in individual provinces differ on average only by 6%. The cheapest is in the province. Mazowieckie, Lubelskie and Dolnośląskie, and the most expensive – in Pomorskie, Opolskie and Podkarpackie.
According to the nationwide analysis of average retail prices performed by Hiper-Com Poland and UCE RESEARCH, consumers can buy the cheapest vegetables in hypermarkets. Supermarkets and cash & carry chains are on the next positions. Convenience stores occupy the penultimate place. On the other hand, the most expensive is in discounters. The difference between them and hypermarkets is 19%.
– Hypermarkets are struggling to survive the pandemic because a large part of their stores were closed due to their location in shopping centers. This translates into an aggressive promotional strategy, including vegetables. On the other hand, discounters did a great job during the lockdown, e.g. by launching deliveries with external partners. Therefore, they could afford less emphasis on price promotions – explains Julita Pryzmont from Hiper-Com Poland.
The biggest differences in prices can be seen in such products as beets – 77%, potatoes – 63%, celery – 60%, and tomatoes – 52%. Dr. Maria Andrzej Faliński from the Economic Dialogue Forum Association emphasizes that all analyzed vegetables were sold loose by weight. Thus, sources of supply were of major importance. They determined the distance from suppliers to producers and the length of the supply chain. Cheap imports also counted.
– Beets or potatoes, unlike e.g. lettuce, stay fresh longer. Large-format stores can therefore stock up on them in larger quantities without fear that they will simply break down. This, in turn, reduces the price of these products in the largest establishments – comments Dr. Krzysztof Łuczak, an expert in the retail industry.
On the other hand, the smallest differences are visible in vegetables such as peppers – 6%, cucumbers – 14%, and zucchini – 17%. – Prices of the above vegetables are mainly shaped by the constant demand for them. The requirements for storage, transport and display are also important – explains Dr. Faliński. It was also observed that prices in individual voivodeships differ by an average of 6%. The cheapest are in Mazowieckie, Lubelskie and Dolnośląskie. In turn, it is the most expensive in the Pomeranian, Opole and Subcarpathian regions.
– 6 percent that’s a fairly moderate price difference. It may result from the fact that the main crops are located in Mazowieckie, Lubelskie and Dolnośląskie. The Podkarpackie and Pomorskie voivodeships are not in the forefront when it comes to vegetable production. Logistics costs can definitely affect the differences in prices throughout the country – sums up Dr. Łuczak.
The analysis was performed by experts from the research and analytical agency Hiper-Com Poland and UCE RESEARCH. Average discount prices for the entire first half of this year were compared. The results of several dozen of the most popular vegetables sold in bulk by weight were checked. In total, over 32,000 were checked. promotional campaigns and 1.8 thousand. commercial newspapers in all discount stores, hypermarkets, supermarkets, convenience and cash & carry chains available on the market.
