The Big Mango Index ’09

Did again the walk through those Bangkok supermarkets, what a pain, but here we go, the Big Mango index ’09 is ready. For what it’s worth. Compared to last year’s virgin ’08 index a Heineken got only slightly more expensive, but whereas a pack of Orchid butter cost some 48 baht a year ago, the same butter today is 77 baht at Villa Market, and still 64 baht at Tesco/Lotus and Carrefour.

But then again, this year’s count doesn’t really represent the inflation we faced in the second half of ’08. Prices topped towards the end of the year and came down substantially in some cases. A can of Heineken is 2 baht more, veggies are still about the same if not cheaper – except onions! -, milk is some 10% and eggs are roughly 20% more expensive.

Again, instead of giving you the prices of each item we’ll have the same old complete shopping list as last year with the very same items and quantities. If an item is not available, that’s the shop’s problem, we wouldn’t go there anymore. We also only pay full prices and don’t go for special offers. Here’s our shopping list consisting of ten basic food items:

• 1kg potatoes
• 1kg onions
• 1kg ground beef
• 1kg big fresh white shrimps
• 100 grams of smoked salmon
• 1 pack of Orchid butter (227 grams)
• 1 pack of Foremost pasteurized plain milk (946ml)
• 1 dozen eggs (Omega brand)
• 1lt of Bertolli extra virgin olive oil
• 6 cans of Heineken

And I’ve window-shopped at these supermarkets: Gourmet Market (Emporium & Paragon), Big C, Villa Market, Carrefour, Tesco/Lotus and Jusco. Did not do Central, Foodland and Tops.

Fruits, bakery items and toiletries are not included in the shopping list. Fruits are seasonal, bakery items too manifold and price differences of toiletries negligible. Remember, last year’s clear winner in terms of value was Gourmet Market over at Emporium/Paragon.

Here are the entries:

Big C this year was a letdown because the didn’t have smoked salmon. Now that’s serious! Last year Big C set me back 1,425 baht, this year – without 100 grams of smoked salmon – 1,246 baht. Prices are average. Not the cheapest, certainly not the most expensive.

Over to Jusco where you face an only marginal inflation. This year’s shopping for 1,635.25 baht is only 3.1% more expensive than last year. But again, don’t buy imported products such as olive oil at Jusco. With 516 baht for the bottle of Bertolli extra virgin olive oil Jusco’s more expensive than at any other supermarket I went.

Oh, most expensive Orchid butter as well with 79 for the pack. Last year? 47 baht.

Next: good ole Carrefour. I hate the ambience of Carrefour as much as I hate Tesco/Lotus’ interior, but then again, Carrefour carries some nice French import items. Every time I discover something new. This time a Mayonnaise à la Moutarde de Dijon. Absolutely worth the 57 baht. Otherwise?

Carrefour features – again together with Tesco/Lotus – the cheapest Orchid butter and milk. Overall year-to-year price increase of 3.7% with a shopping bill of 1,594 baht. Oh, and smoked salmon they only had the 80 gram pack for 249 baht … Quite an inflationary item in our food basket. With a reasonably priced salmon Carrefour could be a winner this year.

Tesco/Lotus is basically one and the same thing. With a total of 1,644 baht some 50 baht more expensive than Carrefour. Tesco/Lotus had the cheapest potatoes for 40 baht/kg. The kilogram of onions was 30 baht. Last year? 16 baht. A nearly 100% price increase.

Now it’s getting exciting: Villa Market. Last year the most expensive with 1,648, Villa tops it this year with … 2,122.25 baht. That’s an increase of 29%. Where those 29% went into. Everything’s more expensive at Villa. At Big C you get the kilogram of onions for 27.25 baht. At Villa it’s 60 baht. The ground beef, the salmon, everything’s the most expensive – certainly the shrimps at 580 baht (!) the kilogram. But I have to say you get outstandingly good quality. No shop matches Villa’s shrimps.

So we’re left with Gourmet Market – the bill adds up to 1,623.25 baht. Deduct the 5% discount you get with the Prestige Card, you pay 1,542 baht. That’s a year-on-year inflation of a meager 2.3%. Cheaper again than even Carrefour and Tesco/Lotus. And you get quality shrimp. And have a choice of onions. Gourmet Market’s kilogram was 35 baht – in line with the other stores. You can buy organic imports from Australia for 218 bt/kg.

Conclusion: Life has become more expensive. But only slightly more expensive – if you’re not shopping daily at Villa Market.

Maybe there’s even a deflationary year ahead, who knows. You’ll get more for less – while farmers get less for more.

That’s right, conscious shopping is a political thing really.

Why not heading down to the local talat sot? Holy moly, no smoked salmon …