AS concern grows over the cost of living in Bahrain, GulfWeekly sent reporter Shilpa Chandran on a shopping mission.
She visited five of the kingdom’s most popular supermarkets to put them to the price test and to find out what it costs to buy a small trolley load of 18 popular items.
We found out that there was only a few fils difference between most of the stores … although on price alone Mega Mart shone in our consumer test this week.
GulfWeekly is the first newspaper to put prices under the spotlight as major steps to control the rising costs of Bahrain’s food and consumer goods have recently been unveiled.
Industry and Commerce Minister Dr Hassan Fakhro outlined plans when he chaired a meeting of Bahrain’s Price Control Committee and stressed the importance of collective purchasing of basic materials by GCC countries.
The committee also plans to regularly publish prices of food and consumer goods in newspapers, and announce them on the radio. Such a media blitz would help to reduce prices, traders told the meeting.
Your GulfWeekly leads the way …
And if YOU would like to add an item to Shilpa’s Shopping List next week simply email shilpa.chandran@gulfweekly.com
Geant Hypermarket, Manama
Milk (Al Marai, 2ltrs) 0.850
Bread (Al Matrood White) 0.300
Sugar (Al Ameer
Pure White, 1kg) 0.300
Coffee (Nescafe Gold,
100gm) 2.000
Tea (Lipton Tea, 100 bags) - 1.390
Eggs (6 Saudi eggs) 0.300
Rice (Kohinoor Basmati rice,
5kg) 3.390
Pasta (Italian spaghetti,
jumbo pack) 0.510
Chicken Breasts
(Sadia, 450gm) 0.890
Tomatoes (1kg) 0.445
Apples (Apples Royal Gala,
1kg) 0.695
Cheese (English matured
white cheddar, 1kg) 4.600
Orange Juice (Al Nada, 2ltrs) 0.700
Cooking Oil (Afia corn oil,
2ltrs) 1.470
Cornflakes (Kellogs, 375gm) 0.990
Water (Arwa, 500ml x 12) 0.700
Napkins (Kleenex, 90 sheets) 0.500
Soap (Dove cream bar, 75gm) 0.250
Grand Total: BD20.280
Jawad Supermarket, Barbar
Milk (Full fat Al Marai, 2ltrs) 0.850
Bread (English white bread) 0.500
Sugar (Al Ameer
Pure White, 1kg) 0.275
Coffee (Nescafe Gold,
100gm) 2.050
Tea (Lipton tea, (100 bags) 1.415
Eggs (Jawad farm fresh, six) 0.350
Rice (Uncle Ben’s Basmati,
5kg) 2.800
Pasta (Italian spaghetti,
453gm) 0.300
Chicken Breasts (Sadia,
450gm) 0.925
Tomatoes (1kg) 0.595
Apples (Chile Apple Gala,
1kg) 0.595
Cheese (English matured
white cheddar, 1kg) 4.600
Orange Juice (Al Nada,
2ltrs) 0.700
Cooking Oil (Afia corn oil,
2ltrs) 1.500
Cornflakes (Kellogs, 375gm) 1.000
Water (Arwa bottled water,
500ml x 12) 0.750
Tissues (Kleenex, 90 sheets) 0.500
Soap (Dove cream bar,
75gm) 0.250
Grand Total: BD19.955
Al Jazira Supermarket, Mahouz
Milk (Al Marai, 2ltrs) 0.850
Bread (Oven Fresh White
Bread, large packet) 0.525
Sugar (Al Ameer
Pure White, 1kg) 0.325
Coffee (Nescafe Gold,
100gm) 2.150
Tea (Lipton tea, 100 bags) 1.485
Eggs (Jazira fresh eggs, six) 0.290
Rice (Kohinoor Basmati
Rice, 5kg) 3.200
Pasta (Italian spaghetti,
453gm) 0.325
Chicken Breasts (Sadia,
450gm) 0.875
Tomatoes (1kg) 0.650
Apples (Chile apples, 1kg) 0.650
Cheese (Daily Crest
Matured white cheddar, 1kg) 3.750
Orange Juice (Al Nada, 2ltrs) 0.700
Cooking Oil (Afia corn oil,
2ltrs) 1.600
Cornflakes (Kellogs, 375gm) 1.150
Water (Arwa bottled water,
500ml x 12) 0.750
Tissues (Kleenex, 90 sheets) 0.525
Soap (Dove cream bar,
75gm) 0.250
Grand Total: BD20.050
Al Osra Supermarket, Budaiya
Milk (Al Marai, 2ltrs) 0.850
Bread (Oven Fresh White
Bread, large packet) 0.525
Sugar (Al Ameer Pure White
-1kg) 0.300
Coffee (Nescafe Gold,
100gm) 2.200
Tea (Lipton tea, 100 bags) 1.425
Eggs (Bahrain eggs, six) 0.300
Rice (Kohinoor Basmati, 5kg) 3.550
Pasta (Italian spaghetti,
453gm) 0.340
Chicken Breasts
(Sadia, 450gm) 0.975
Tomatoes (1kg) 0.590
Apples (Golden Apples, 1kg) 0.590
Cheese (English matured
white cheddar, 1kg) 4.900
Orange Juice (Al Nada, 2ltrs) 0.700
Cooking Oil (Afia corn oil,
2ltrs) 1.600
Cornflakes (Kellogs, 375gm) 1.150
Water (Arwa bottled water,
500ml x 12) 0.725
Tissues (Kleenex, 90 sheets) 0.525
Soap (Dove cream bar,
75gm) 0.250
Grand Total: BD21.495
Mega Mart,
Manama
Milk (Al Marai, 2ltrs) 0.850
Bread (Al Matrood
white bread) 0.275
Sugar (Al Ameer
Pure White, 1kg) 0.275
Coffee (Nescafe Gold,
100gm) 2.025
Tea (Lipton tea, 100 bags) 1.370
Eggs (Saudi eggs, six) 0.300
Rice (Kohinoor Basmati Rice,
5kg) 3.050
Pasta (Italian spaghetti,
453gm) 0.280
Chicken Breasts
(Sadia, 450gm) 0.875
Tomatoes (1kg) 0.350
Apples (Chile Apples, 1kg) 0.650
Cheese (Bega White
cheddar) 2.500
Orange Juice (Al Nada, 2ltrs) 0.700
Cooking Oil (Afia corn oil,
2ltrs) 1.475
Cornflakes (Kellogs, 375gm) 1.095
Water (Arwa bottled water,
500ml x 12) 0.700
Tissues (Kleenex,
110 sheets) 0.550
Soap (Dove cream bar,
75gm) 0.225
Grand Total: BD17.545
