Major supermarket chains charge up to 66% more for some items than smaller outlets, according to the Consumer Council's first bi-weekly price survey on staple foods and daily necessities.

The survey conducted in Wan Chai today covered 15 commodities from 13 outlets including supermarkets, small chains and grocery shops, and personal-care chains and pharmacies.

The survey found a similar pattern of price differences amongst the retailers. Generally major supermarket chains charge for some items than smaller outlets. However, occasionally lower prices can also be found at supermarkets especially when they offer specials.

Price differential

The most noticeable price difference was found in a 277g can of fried dace with salted black beans. It was sold for $19.90 at a supermarket chain and $12 at a grocery store, representing a difference of $7.90 or 65.8%. Other outlets surveyed sold the product at $14, $16.90, $17 and $18.90.

A high price differential was also recorded for rice vermicelli (400g) ranging from $5 at a frozen food shop to $7.40 at two supermarkets, representing a difference of $2.40 or 48%.

Other notable price differences included:

* chicken broth (1 litre) - $11.90 to $16.90, representing a difference of $5 or 42%;

* corn starch (420g) - $5.50 to $7.50, a difference of $2 or 36.4%; and,

* condensed milk (370g) - $9.2 to $12, a difference of $2.80 or 30.4%.

Thai fragrant rice (5kg) was sold for $43.90 to $48.50, representing a difference of $4.60 or 10.5%, and corn oil (946ml) was sold for $32 to $37.90, a price difference of $5.90 or 18.4%.

One supermarket chain scored the lowest price of all outlets for sesame oil noodles (100g) at $2.80.

If consumers are prepared to accept bulk purchases - a sale tactic increasingly used by supermarket chains on some products - the price per unit will become notably lower.