Shop around to save on baby items
The survey conducted by the National Consumer Agency (NCA) was based on branded baby care products in Tesco, Dunnes Stores, Superquinn and SuperValu, and own brand goods in Aldi, Lidl and Tesco.
The findings revealed notable price differences between baby care products such as nappies, formula, baby food and baby hygiene products. In a basket comprising 105 branded baby care products from Dunnes Stores, Superquinn and Tesco, Dunnes Stores was found to be cheapest, with the 105 common items costing €520.24.
Tesco was the most expensive at €546.66, a difference of €26.42, while the price of the same goods in Superquinn was €523.50.
The survey also showed price differences of up to 50% on individual products in the three supermarkets, with a difference of 10.9% (€21.94) on nappy products between the cheapest retailer for the basket, Dunnes Stores, and the dearest, Tesco.
There was a high degree of identical pricing in the baby milk product category, with 20 of the 24 products being price matched in the three multiples.
When SuperValu was included by comparing a basket of 86 common products across the stores, the total difference between the cheapest and the dearest was €16.10 (4%).
Dunnes Stores was found to be the cheapest at €405.12, with Tesco the most expensive at €421.22.
The cost of the same basket in Superquinn was €405.69 and €411.09 in Supervalu.
The survey also compared six common own-brand baby products in Aldi, Lidl and Tesco and revealed an identical total price in Aldi and Lidl at €30.20, with Tesco slightly more expensive at €31.07.
Commenting on the survey NCA chief executive Ann Fitzgerald said she would urge consumers to check prices.
“Given the significance of overall expenditure in this category for the parents of babies and infants, we would urge consumers to be proactive in checking prices and to realise the savings available to them.”
* www.consumerconnect.ie
