Are fruit and vegetables really cheaper at the market than at the supermarket?
Saving money while supermarket prices keep rising is quite a challenge. Not only is chocolate getting more expensive and the bars getting smaller, you also pay considerably more for fruit and vegetables. But can you save money by buying fruit and vegetables at the market instead of at the supermarket? Supermarket expert Paul Moers explains it to Radar.
The likelihood that fruit and vegetables will only get more expensive is very high. This is due to various measures, such as the tax on artificial fertiliser, the introduction of an emissions tax on horticulture and the abolition of the reduced energy tax rate for greenhouse horticulture, as shown by the tax measures proposed by the Minister of Finance. To put it mildly, it is quite a drama, so we could certainly use some extra money-saving tips.
Fruit and vegetables cheaper at the market?
Anyone who sometimes goes to the market knows that, especially at the end of the day, you can often take home that bag of apples or boxes of strawberries for next to nothing. In addition, the other products are often just a little cheaper than at the supermarket, allowing you to save a fair amount on your groceries.
Lower margins
This is because market stall owners do not have marketing or shop costs, whereas supermarkets do. Who pays for those? The customer. The same goes for pre-packaged fruit and vegetables, because ‘you always have to pay for packaging’, according to Paul Moers. However, supermarkets can buy much more in one go than market stall owners. Their purchase price is therefore higher, but according to Paul, market sellers are quicker to settle for a lower margin, which keeps prices low.
Keep an eye on the special offers
Conclusion: if you buy a basket full of fruit and vegetables, especially at the end of the day, you will be (much) cheaper off at the market than at the supermarket. This does not apply to supermarket special offers on fruit and vegetables. In that case, you are actually better off at the supermarket—so keep a close eye on them!
Source: Radar Avrotros
Also read:
- Sandwiches keep getting more expensive: €17.50 for a baguette schnitzel?!
- Oh no: beer is getting more expensive again this year
- 11 tips to save a whole lot at the supermarket
