In 2023 checked The newspaper online Prices in the Kiwi, Extra and Rema 1000 discount chains six times: in January, April, June, July, September and November.
A total of 361 prices were examined in each. In total, there were goods worth more than NOK 14,000.
Overall, the Rema 1000 is the cheapest. But the differences are very small.
– Indisputable!
Between No. 1 and No. 2, only NOK 23 and NOK 33 are separated in a shopping cart worth more than NOK 14,000.
Rema 1000 is no easy feat and resorts to its well-known slogan when commenting on the result.
– It's the final amount at the cash register that matters, and this overview shows that it's also the final amount in the price tests that is calculated, says sales and marketing director Pia Melby.
Rima also recently won VG's food swap competition, where Kiwi came in fourth place. At Nettavisen, it ranks second on Kiwi when we sum up all price tests for the year.
However, Kiwi claims to be essentially the cheapest chain.
– Price surveys deal with a smaller group of goods, and it is often the same goods that are repeated. Kiwi checks prices with low-cost competitors every day. We know that Qiwi is the cheapest chain, this is indisputable. says Communications Director Christine Arvin.
The Consumer Council responds
However, the differences are minor when we summarize the 2023 tests:
- Rima 1000: Norwegian Krone. 14,414.61
- Kiwi: NOK 14,437.94 (+ NOK 23.33)
- Additions: NOK 14,493.34 (+ NOK 78.73)
Between Rima and Qiwi, the price difference is only 0.16 percent. Between Rima and Extra the difference is 0.55 percent.
Consumer Council and professional director Olaf Kaasland commented on the result as follows:
– In practice, the price differences are nil, says Olaf Kaasland, specialist director at the Consumer Council.
The final amount is quite similar and many items have the same price in all three series. This is true for a total of 282 of the 361 items examined.
-We believe that competition in the grocery market is very bad. We believe that when prices are so similar, the most important thing for chains is to be a little cheaper.
Spying on each other
Nettavisen recently wrote about the inclusivity of grocery chains
Casland believes there could have been greater differences in prices if there had been better competition.
– The chain with the worst purchase conditions comes on the list. Those with the best buying conditions get more money, Casland says.
Casland alludes to previous statements by the Competition Authority that Kiwi owner Norgesgruppen enjoyed better purchase terms than its competitors.
The biggest differences
The online newspaper conducted three price tests in 2023 and the three chains won two tests each. The last one was in November It was won by Extra with Rima in second place and Kiwi in last place.
Although many prices are exactly the same, sometimes price tests also show larger differences:
These are some of the biggest differences we found in 2023:
November: Gildi Vienna sausages
- Additional: 59.90 NOK
- Kiwi: NOK 67.90 (+ NOK 8.00)
- Rima 1000: Norwegian Krone. 67.90 (+8.00)
September: Pasta sauce, dolmio classico
- Kiwi: 25.90 NOK
- Rima 1000: 25.90 NOK
- Extras: NOK 30.40 (+ NOK 4.50)
JulyLambie toilet paper 20 pieces.
- Additional: NOK 129.00
- Kiwi: 129.00 NOK
- Rima 1000: Norwegian Krone. 138.63 (+ 9.63 NOK)
June: Raspberries 125 grams
- Kiwi: 29.90 NOK
- Rima 1000: 29.90 NOK
- Extras: NOK 39.90 (+ NOK 10.00)
April: Finaler, Stranda, 100 grams
- Kiwi: 52.30 Norwegian krone
- Rima 1000: 52.30 NOK
- Extras: NOK 61.20 (+ NOK 8.90)
January: Favorite Nedar Troika 300 grams
- Kiwi: 32.40 NOK
- Rima 1000: 32.40 NOK
- Extras: NOK 34.90 (+ NOK 2.50)
– Rat race to the bottom
Professor Tor Wallin Andreasen is satisfied with the state of the competition.
– When prices are very similar, customers have no incentive to change stores. You mostly get the same goods, at identical prices, says Andreessen, a professor at the Norwegian School of Economics (NHH).
-Is the competition good?
-We get sharp and flat price competition. But I miss that chains don't compete more on different concepts, says Andreessen.
-We are happy with the low prices. Glory be to God for that. But is the rat race to the bottom really serving us?
-Siamese triplets
He believes others beyond the traditional grocery industry are at the forefront when it comes to innovation.
– Grocery chains need to be careful. New players are coming in and gobbling up market shares, like Normal. Foodora has also started home delivery of groceries, says Andreasen.
– Cheap chains are like Siamese triplets drowning together. He says that it seems that none of them dare to set out and stand out.
This is how the strings respond:
Nettavisen asked the three chains why customers choose them in particular, when the prices are almost the same in all three chains.
Rima 1000: – We want to be the cheapest grocery store in the country, and we ensure this through low costs and efficient operations, says Sales and Marketing Director Pia Melby.
– Competition is huge and we match campaigns run by our competitors, even though we have our own campaigns, she says.
kiwi: – Kiwis are the ones who pay the prices, we have proven that time and time again. “We're the ones who stopped the prices on February 1, and we're the ones who started the price war on fish,” says communications director Christine Arvin.
– But I think the most important competitive advantage is our people. When Hegmeit picked the best cashiers of the year, there were Kiwis in first, second and third place, she says.
additional: – Because we are the cheapest and have the largest selection. At Extra, customers get the lowest prices, weekly offers and campaigns, as well as membership benefits and purchase profits, says communications director Harald Christiansen.
The purchase yield is at least one percent, meaning Extra will be the cheapest when all price tests are considered together, he says.
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