News release
Foodtown, Countdown and Woolworths win the grocery basket price war in Auckland
Supermarket shoppers looking for low prices, especially in Auckland, might like to head to Foodtown, Countdown and
Woolworths supermarkets, according to a new pricing survey from Consumer Magazine.
Released last week, the survey price checked 15 staple grocery items at supermarkets nationwide focusing on their home
brands.
“It’s great that our effort to constantly improve the value we offer customers – and that includes prices, selection and
shopping experience – have been recognised. Consumer Magazine found that we had the best prices in Auckland on the
staples they shopped for. And our supermarkets were extremely competitive in Wellington and Christchurch – within $1 for
the whole basket of staple items,” said Elizabeth Higgs, General Manager Marketing for Progressive Enterprises.
She said the company’s budget label, Home Brand, which includes more than 600 product lines, was showing significant
growth as consumers work to make their budgets go further.
“Home Brand offers the widest choice and exceptional value in staple grocery products like bread, milk, cheese, sugar,
cereal and more. Our biggest challenge is keeping Home Brand on the shelf because sales are increasing so quickly. For
our plain label Home Brand products, we say, ‘It’s what’s inside that counts’, and customers agree. They are impressed
with the Home Brand value. They buy the first time because of the price, but they keep buying because of the quality,”
she said.
Progressive is also experiencing significant growth in our other private label product ranges, such as Select, our new
premium private label brand, for ‘foodie and deli lovers’.
Progressive will be making copies of this issue of Consumer Magazine available later this week at the Customer Service
desk of Foodtown, Woolworths and Countdown supermarkets; customers are free to have a read of the article entitled
“Bargainbasics.”
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Editor’s Notes: TV3’s Target Product Check gave Home Brand the Target stamp of approval (for its baked beans, wholemeal
toast bread and strawberry cheesecake) as the best products to buy when compared to tests against leading brands. Target
bases its decision on value for money, taste and quality.