In a context of inflation reaching record levels, UFC Que Choisir publishes a ranking that can enlighten consumers.
Conducted in September 2021, the survey ranks the least expensive supermarket chains.
This shows, for example, that the price of a basket of 98 everyday products varies by €60 on average between the least expensive brand, E.Leclerc (€348) and Casino (€408).
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E. Leclerc consolidates its position as a “price breaker”
In line with its recent cut-price operations launched at the beginning of the year, it is the E. Leclerc brand that offers the cheapest basket on average, for an average of €348.
This basket includes “
98 products from national brands and distributors
”, from fresh products to sweet groceries.
Then follow Intermarché (€356), Colruyt (€363) or System U (€365).
The least expensive supermarket chains UFC - Que Choisir
Geographic inequalities
The survey was conducted among 1,006 mainland stores of the eight main retail chains (Auchan, Carrefour, Casino, Cora, Colruyt, E.Leclerc, Intermarché and Système U).
In addition to physical points of sale, the prices of 4,885 drive-through sites of these same brands were collected by the association.
It also demonstrates that even more striking differences exist between the points of sale of the same brand.
Thus, the price of the basket of the same shopping list at Cora can vary by €19 from one point of sale to another, while Casino (€107) and Carrefour (€101) show even more flagrant disparities. .
They can be explained in particular by geographical differences: the west coast and the North, for example, benefit from much more advantageous prices than
in Ile-de-France or in the PACA region.
For example, the same basket bought in an E. Leclerc store located in Hauts-de-France (€328) is 40% cheaper than in a Casino store located in Montpellier (€460).
Finally, the association was interested in the possible price differences between a physical point of sale and its associated drive service, given the recent enthusiasm of consumers for online commerce.
However, the survey does not report any significant difference in price between the two services, with the exception of Casino, which offers a 9% cheaper drive-thru basket due to an important strategy focused on food e-commerce.