Grocery Store updates - Feb 2016

[dannyconrad]

Wanting information about grocery stores, I perused the forums only to find outdated information. I took it upon myself over the last 3 days to visit grocery stores for price comparisons only. Since I have frequented all in the past, I will also give some insight from my perspective about each beyond price. I don't talk about, and really don't care about service and a smile as A) I am retired and have all the time in the world, and I have been here long enough not to expect a smile in the LOS.

Except for Foodmart, all seem to have fairly good bakery's, pretty good selection of fresh vegetables, decent meat and cheese selections, and on-sight butchers with quality fish/meats with hygienic facilities. They all do carry some items a farang may seek, however they are all a bit different in the variety and quantity.

I had 11 items on my grocery list so this is what I choose to do the price comparison with. I expand below on the comparison's. If you feel my "basket" should have contained other items, please feel free to do the research and share with this thread.

In General, I have determined there are generally 4 categories (again price only). They are listed below cheapest to most expensive.

-- Makro is in a class by itself as it is a warehouse grocery. It's prices are the lowest but you must buy many items in bulk.

-- Big C/Lotus - both mall/grocery stores with generally low prices and good selection in both size and type.

-- Friendship, Best, Foodland and Foodmart - Mid-range prices with limited selection in both size and type (although Foodmart was the most expensive of all stores).

-- Villa/Tops - both upscale and both have the highest prices (except for Foodmart).

Makro - 2 locations, Pattaya Nua (accross from north bus terminal) and Sukhumvit (south of Thepisit), the former carrying only grocery's.

--Makro gives the traditional warehouse feel with many items only available in bulk.

-- If you are long stay, I would not necessarily recommend Makro.

Lotus - 2 major locations, Pattaya Nua (half way between 2nd and 3rd), and Sukhumvit (corner of Thepisit).

-- These are mall/grocery stores with many choices for shopping/eating outside the store proper. Prices I checked were comparable to Big C.

Big C (formerly Carefore)- 3 major locations, Central Center, 2nd RD (near Pattaya Nua), Pattaya Klang (just east of 3rd) and Sukhumvit (corner of Pattay Tai).

-- Also mall/grocery stores with many choices for shopping/eating outside the store proper. Prices comparable to Lotus.

-- Central Center also has a Movie Complex

Foodland - 1 location on Pattaya Klang (half way between 3rd and Sukhumvit).

-- Prices are generally higher here than the above. Selection and bigger sizes are limited.

--They do have a very reasonable restaurant with on-gong specials.

--There has been a rumor for 2 years they will be building a new one on Thepasit, probably because of a Foodland sign there.

Friendship Market - Pattaya Tai (at the south end of Soi Bukow).

-- This grocery is less upscale, but prices are just a bit above Big C/Lotus and just below Villa/Tops. As noted above, many items a fraang may seek, including refrigerated and frozen items.

-- They have school supplies etc on the second floor and a newly opened store next door catering to all your baking needs.

Best Market - Pattaya Nau at 2nd (Dolphin Circle).

-- This grocery is also less upscale and the prices are in the middle of the pack.

Foodmart - 1 location, Therapra at Thephisit (in or at least near Jom Tien).

-- This is also less upscale but unfortunately the prices are upscale. I would suggest Foodmart for convenience only.

-- Jom Tien has longed for a decent grocery for years. Unfortunately Foodmart is the grocery that is clearly the worse of all in selection of sizes and brans and is the most expensive of all.

-- Very tight isles, in some cases, only one basket wide. Many displays are boxes of the product stacked up. Butcher and Bakery smallest of all.

Tops - 2 locations, Central Festival (Beach RD), and the basement of Tukcom (at the south end of Soi Bukow).

-- The Pattaya Klang/2nd RD location is closed.

-- Prices considerably higher than the above, but the appearance is upscale.

-- At 9:30pm Tops used to cut the prices in half on bakery, sushi and some other daily goods. This practice continues however the time is now random and not necessarily at 9:30.

-- Central Festival has a Movie Complex.

Villa Market - 1 Location at The Avenue on 2nd RD at Soi 13.

-- This too is an upscale in a appearance and price. I would say Villa probably has the best selection of items a farang may seek, or at least tied with Friendship.

-- The Avenue has a Movie Complex

The Comparison......

As noted above, I had 11 items on my grocery list the other day. Below is the breakdown of my pricing comparison. Many items were not available in the original comparison size, but I still jotted them down with the size noted. If you wish (as I did) you can do the math and get a near apples to apples comparison. Also, I have noted the sales price if applicable. I am not including my calculations however Makro was 8.3% cheaper than Lotus/Big C. The others were more expensive than Big C/Lotus however Foodmart stood out to be the most expensive.

The following is a jumble, however I was unable to upload the spreadsheet. Perhaps you can copy and past the info into excel???

Makro Lotus BigC Foodland Tops Friendship Villa Best Foodmart USA Liquid Laundry Soap 400 ml 35 3 pak 46 sale 39 51 sale 38 n/a 79 2/800 55 800 ml 80 800 ml 49 110 900 ml Downy Fabric Softner 700 ml 59.5 2 pak 66 2 pak 66 2 pak, sale 59.50 67.5 sale 56 69 sale 61 69 69 79 sale 68 41 375 ml Nestle instand coffee red cup 400 g 290 600 g 219 219 221.5 sale 199 219 n/a 120 200 g 235 152 200 g Nestle Coffee Mate 900 g 120 1000 g 115 115 119.25 115 124 1000 g 119 126 1000 g 75 450 Nestle Krmatop 1000 g 93 98 98 n/a 54 500 g n/a n/a 55 500 g n/a n/a Loaf LG Farmhouse WW Bread Large 36.5 37 37 37 37 37 n/a n/a 37 Anchor Salted Butter 227g 105 n/a 116 108.5 111 108 109 108 116 Meijii Milk 2000 ml 91 91.75 91.75 91.75 91 92 91 105 98 Lea & Perrins Worcestershire 150 ml 76 2 pak n/a 97 78 84 80 sale 74 129 290 ml 72 82 Tabasco 60 ml 45.99 3 pak+ 1 free 65 65 56.5 79 59 sale 49 63 75 sale 49 82 Tipco Double Tomato Juice 1L 59.67 3 pak 72 72 n/a n/a 65 75 56 n/a Maylee Tomato Juice 1L 51.67 3 pak 69 56 70 54 57 50 56 60

[Jingthing]

Where are the cheapest baby wipes?

The OP is cool.

Sounds like a Virgo.

Edited February 23, 2016 by Jingthing

[Don Mega]

That jumbled mess. Take a screenshot of the excel sheet and upload it as a jpeg.

[guzzi850m2]

Nice comparison OP and pretty much spot on.

Don't forget that BigC on Klang is a BigC extra and have much better selections for expats than the normal BigC.

I find Best Market and Friendship the best of the small expat grocery shops and lucky for me, Best is not far away from my home.

[n210mp]

Thank you Danny for an informative and well written thread

May I make a comment on the pricing though of the big stores, "They are just too expensive and taking the mickey with their sales of Western foods"

It occurs to me that without farang purchases these stores would be rapidly out of business.

Over this last year the oil prices have gone extremely low, why has this not been reflected in a decrease in price of all those products that are sent from Europe?

Edited February 24, 2016 by n210mp

[Don Mega]

Thank you Danny for an informative and well written thread

May I make a comment on the pricing though of the big stores, "They are just too expensive and taking the mickey with their sales of Western foods"

It occurs to me that without farang purchases these stores would be rapidly out of business.

Over this last year the oil prices have gone extremely low, why has this not been reflected in a decrease in price of all those products that are sent from Europe?

I doubt oil prices affect the import taxes.

Edited February 24, 2016 by Don Mega

[patsfangr]

I also want to thank the OP for taking the time to create this useful summary. While I've lived here for 9 years, and am familiar with all of these places, there are many farangs who have not been here that long to whom this information is very useful. I don't get the people who have to make snide remarks about a person who's just trying to provide a little useful information to others.

My complaint about the supermarkets in the area is the fact that none of them has been smart enough to open a large supermarket on the east side of Sukhumvit. There is a large enough population here now to support at least 1 such market. The hassle of getting across Suk, thanks to that damn "pork barrel" tunnel project, would absolutely ensure that most residents here would shop at a market on this side. What's wrong with the owners that they can't see this?

[JSixpack]

Thank you Danny for an informative and well written thread

May I make a comment on the pricing though of the big stores, "They are just too expensive and taking the mickey with their sales of Western foods"

It occurs to me that without farang purchases these stores would be rapidly out of business.

No. Typical illusion of farang grandeur.

Over this last year the oil prices have gone extremely low, why has this not been reflected in a decrease in price of all those products that are sent from Europe?

Did you notice that big decrease in airfares? No?

[JSixpack]

The hassle of getting across Suk, thanks to that damn "pork barrel" tunnel project, would absolutely ensure that most residents here would shop at a market on this side. What's wrong with the owners that they can't see this?

Maybe they don't know what they'd do w/ the new building after the damn "pork barrel" tunnel project is finished.

[johng]

The hassle of getting across Suk, thanks to that damn "pork barrel" tunnel project, would absolutely ensure that most residents here would shop at a market on this side. What's wrong with the owners that they can't see this?

Maybe they don't know what they'd do w/ the new building after the damn "pork barrel" tunnel project is finished.

After they eventually finish the first tunnel they plan to do 2 more at North and South junctions ...so that's another 10 + - years of disruption.

if they had to do tunnels ( flyovers would be better IMHO ) why the hell didn't they start them all at the same time and get it all over and done with ?

I'm sure residents on the "dark side" would appreciate a supermarket and would continue to use it after tunnel construction is done, because it would be much more convenient not having to cross Sukhumvit and get stuck in the increasingly horrid traffic jams on "the brightside".

[Don Mega]

Hopefully us Darksiders will get a supermarket in the new Plaza that is being built on Soi Khao Noi.

Edited February 24, 2016 by Don Mega

[dannyconrad]

Thanks to all for your replies. I was hoping this thread wouldn't get political but where can you say anything without bringing in Oil as the topic.

First, thanks for the humor from those first replies. I took no offence at all and got a laugh, especially the Virgo reference (it's my moon sign).

Second, I can't figure out how to edit a post, so I am including the screen shot of the prices below (thanks for the advice). Please note the following:

-- All prices are per unit. If a 2 or 3 pak is listed, it has been divided to reflect the per unit price.

-- Some prices are for units of different sizes. Although I manipulated the prices in the calculations I did to get as close to apples to apples comparison, the original price is listed on the spreadsheet.

-- During my calculations I sometimes compared one store to another (i.e. Makro/Big C) as the baskets were slightly different for each store. In other calculations, I removed items from one stores basket because it was unavailable at another store.

-- All calculations included sale prices.

-- I have not included the calculations as I deleted one set as I moved to the next (sorry).

-- The last calculation I did was across all stores however the number of items was reduced to 5. Makro again was the lowest however interestingly Foodmart was the same.

Third, both Jom Tien and the Dark Side could easily support grocery stores over the long term. Surely a friendship size grocery could be supported.

Lastly, I would appreciate (but understand I can't control) that we keep on topic.

[Rimmer]

A couple of sarcastic flames have been removed also a post about tunnels please stay on topic.

You can not edit a post after a short grace period, only mods can edit posts after that

[Seizetheday]

The only reason I shop at Makro is to by bear Laos, the dark one.

I'm not a great fan of waiting 7 deep to be served.

For all my other needs I go to Tesco Pattaya Tai.

[KhunBENQ]

My subjective list when in Pattaya:

#1: BigC Extra on Pattaya Klang, Casino deli products empty my wallet

#2: Friendship

#3: Best Supermarket

#4: Villa (mostly for ONE product only )

The rest of the pack is more or less arbitrary.

May visit or not.

Foodmart in Jomtien: ridiculous prices even on trivial stuff (Corn Flakes, milk, cheese, chocolate, .,,).

Prices higher than at 7/11!

The only reason they survive is their location I guess.

Be aware that I don't live in Pattaya and just look for specialties/deli not available in Isan.

So no interest in daily household goods etc. in Pattaya.

Edited February 24, 2016 by KhunBENQ

[dannyconrad]

...

Foodmart in Jomtien: ridiculous prices even on trivial stuff (Corn Flakes, milk, cheese, chocolate, .,,).

Prices higher than at 7/11!

The only reason they survive is their location I guess.

...

Interestingly I stopped in a Family Mart and the only item on my list I could find in the same size was Malee Tomato juice. It was 58THB which was more expensive than all the stores I reviewed except for one, Foodmart, where it was 60THB.

Edited February 24, 2016 by dannyconrad

[JESSVANPELT]

INCORRECT.......Friendship is always cheaper then big.

Kraft Mayo BigC 111, Friendship 89

Oberti can of olives Big C 95 , Friendship 68 i can go on and on, Once Carefour was bought out all Big C did was a raise there prices.

And when Villa starts an advert, within 2 days Friendship either matches or beats there price.

[JSixpack]

Thanks to all for your replies. I was hoping this thread wouldn't get political but where can you say anything without bringing in Oil as the topic.

First, thanks for the humor from those first replies. I took no offence at all and got a laugh, especially the Virgo reference (it's my moon sign).

Second, I can't figure out how to edit a post, so I am including the screen shot of the prices below (thanks for the advice). Please note the following:

-- All prices are per unit. If a 2 or 3 pak is listed, it has been divided to reflect the per unit price.

-- Some prices are for units of different sizes. Although I manipulated the prices in the calculations I did to get as close to apples to apples comparison, the original price is listed on the spreadsheet.

-- During my calculations I sometimes compared one store to another (i.e. Makro/Big C) as the baskets were slightly different for each store. In other calculations, I removed items from one stores basket because it was unavailable at another store.

-- All calculations included sale prices.

-- I have not included the calculations as I deleted one set as I moved to the next (sorry).

-- The last calculation I did was across all stores however the number of items was reduced to 5. Makro again was the lowest however interestingly Foodmart was the same.

Third, both Jom Tien and the Dark Side could easily support grocery stores over the long term. Surely a friendship size grocery could be supported.

Lastly, I would appreciate (but understand I can't control) that we keep on topic.

Maybe I'm not seeing the whole chart, but it'd be nice to total each column, divide by number of items, and so have a column average. Then create a ranking of the averages. So the average could serve for a rough seat-of-pants extrapolation for preferred stores for price-based shopping.

Edited February 24, 2016 by JSixpack

[Kaoboi Bebobp]

INCORRECT.......Friendship is always cheaper then big.

Kraft Mayo BigC 111, Friendship 89

Oberti can of olives Big C 95 , Friendship 68 i can go on and on, Once Carefour was bought out all Big C did was a raise there prices.

And when Villa starts an advert, within 2 days Friendship either matches or beats there price.

Great thread, OP. Thanks for all the work.

Each of us buys different sets of things, you really can't buy everything in one stop and we each live close to one market so tend to shop there. Living on the Darkside, on Nern Pub Wan, nothing is close.

That said, everything (but one item) I used to buy at Foodland is cheaper at Friendship -- at times 5-20 baht cheaper an item. I only "discovered" Friendship about six months ago. So my ranking goes: Friendship (nearly everything I want), Big C Extra (some meat), Foodland (it's handier for an item or two). I rarely go to Villa or Lotus or TOPS.

Edited February 24, 2016 by Kaoboi Bebobp

[dannyconrad]

INCORRECT.......Friendship is always cheaper then big.

Kraft Mayo BigC 111, Friendship 89

Oberti can of olives Big C 95 , Friendship 68 i can go on and on, Once Carefour was bought out all Big C did was a raise there prices.

And when Villa starts an advert, within 2 days Friendship either matches or beats there price.

As I clearly stated, "If you feel my "basket" should have contained other items, please feel free to do the research and share with this thread." I am not incorrect. I just had a different basket, Please do go on and on. Please share. That is what this post is about. But don't attack please. That would be incorrect, don't you agree? I do like Friendship, it is my favorite store to go to if I need a few items. I would be interested in the price of these TWO items at other stores too, like Makro, Best...(and yes please do go on and on, it only helps others).

[dannyconrad]

Thanks to all for your replies. I was hoping this thread wouldn't get political but where can you say anything without bringing in Oil as the topic.

First, thanks for the humor from those first replies. I took no offence at all and got a laugh, especially the Virgo reference (it's my moon sign).

Second, I can't figure out how to edit a post, so I am including the screen shot of the prices below (thanks for the advice). Please note the following:

-- All prices are per unit. If a 2 or 3 pak is listed, it has been divided to reflect the per unit price.

-- Some prices are for units of different sizes. Although I manipulated the prices in the calculations I did to get as close to apples to apples comparison, the original price is listed on the spreadsheet.

-- During my calculations I sometimes compared one store to another (i.e. Makro/Big C) as the baskets were slightly different for each store. In other calculations, I removed items from one stores basket because it was unavailable at another store.

-- All calculations included sale prices.

-- I have not included the calculations as I deleted one set as I moved to the next (sorry).

-- The last calculation I did was across all stores however the number of items was reduced to 5. Makro again was the lowest however interestingly Foodmart was the same.

Third, both Jom Tien and the Dark Side could easily support grocery stores over the long term. Surely a friendship size grocery could be supported.

Lastly, I would appreciate (but understand I can't control) that we keep on topic.

Maybe I'm not seeing the whole chart, but it'd be nice to total each column, divide by number of items, and so have a column average. Then create a ranking of the averages. So the average could serve for a rough seat-of-pants extrapolation for preferred stores for price-based shopping.

Sounds like you know exactly what we need. Please do the needful, as my Indian friends used to say.

[dannyconrad]

INCORRECT.......Friendship is always cheaper then big.

Kraft Mayo BigC 111, Friendship 89

Oberti can of olives Big C 95 , Friendship 68 i can go on and on, Once Carefour was bought out all Big C did was a raise there prices.

And when Villa starts an advert, within 2 days Friendship either matches or beats there price.

Great thread, OP. Thanks for all the work.

Each of us buys different sets of things, you really can't buy everything in one stop and we each live close to one market so tend to shop there. Living on the Darkside, on Nern Pub Wan, nothing is close.

That said, everything (but one item) I used to buy at Foodland is cheaper at Friendship -- at times 5-20 baht cheaper an item. I only "discovered" Friendship about six months ago. So my ranking goes: Friendship (nearly everything I want), Big C Extra (some meat), Foodland (it's handier for an item or two). I rarely go to Villa or Lotus or TOPS.

Thanks for the reply. I found Lotus and Big C have nearly the same prices, at least with my basket. It makes sense that they are near each other as they are competing on a level playing field. As mentioned in another post, I do like Friendship and your observation is the same as another poster (although your a bit more polite). If you don't mind bulk, I don't think anyone can argue that Makro is overall the cheapest. The downside is there are things they don't carry (like Colgate Optic White toothpaste). Thanks again.

[n210mp]

To those posters who assume that the cost of Ex Pats food in Thailand is not affected by either lower or higher costs of transportation at the point of sale may well not understand that any import tax ETC is levied on the total value at port of entry.

A significant portion of that cost if you are shipping half way across the world must be transportation ie; OIL

Simply this means that with oil prices bottoming out over this last year, a significant reduction in point of entry valuation equates with logically a lower price at the counter (yes I know this is TIT )

My point about their big retailers talking advantage of their cartel status and profiteering in maintaining high prices is justified

Where is my post either "political unjustified or simply off topic" in mentioning a significant factor in the pricing of products in the stores mentioned?

Its interesting why havnt these big retailers passed on their obvious reduction in transportation costs on overseas products on to us the consumers OK this last sentence is off topic but the remainder is highly relevant

JSixpack

I cannot justify my comment with a link or information about the big retailers in Pattaya closing without the support of the Ex Pat community but I think it was it was a fair comment based on my experiences witnessing the number of Ex Pats shopping there.

It would be Interesting if you could elucidate what your opinion is based on other than like mine "an opinion"

If it is just your "opinion" then please have the common decency to allow me to have my opinion without your use of sarcasm , sarcasm being not only the lowest form of wit but the refuge of those with nothing worthwhile to say other than a desire to save "Face"

Your post #8 I am referring to, was valid as your opinion until you mentioned the term " Typical illusion of Farang grandeur" then it sank , being worthless and totally unjustified

Please think before you write and avoid conflict.

Remember JS there is no law against thinking yet in Thailand and you, even though I havnt said anything malicious or halfwitted sarcastic about you, may well have an idea of what I am thinking about your good self, just at this moment

Dont worry too much JS its all written in the best possible taste and without any rancour, like you I also have a need to beat the mental boredom of living here. Sometimes the biking, the golfing and the walking just doesn't cut it.

Thanks Danny once again for an interesting OP and i realise that you are indeed just helping along your friends on here with helpful information. I am sorry you felt that I went off topic with my post about oil prices but in my own defence this is a public forum and i thought my comments in a thread where the pricing of foods common to ExPats was fully justified.

If one of the big retailers here was to show that they had in fact reacted to the massive reduction in import prices which they control to a degree with their equally massive buying power I would become one of their most loyal customers

[NanLaew]

Thank you Danny for an informative and well written thread

May I make a comment on the pricing though of the big stores, "They are just too expensive and taking the mickey with their sales of Western foods"

It occurs to me that without farang purchases these stores would be rapidly out of business.

Over this last year the oil prices have gone extremely low, why has this not been reflected in a decrease in price of all those products that are sent from Europe?

I doubt oil prices affect the import taxes.

Mrs NL runs a Thai restaurant; all local market produce, nothing imported. She and other early morning market shoppers lament the STEADILY INCREASING prices of just about all locally sourced commodities. The price at the pump has fallen but still the prices inch up.

I dropped by Tesco and Big C in Meuang Udon Thani recently and noted the downsizing of two of their newer west-side outlets. The Tesco has physically downsized in that there's a whole new interior wall the length of the shop and there's reduced shelf space and more shared aisles. The Big C has reduced stock and shelving while retaining the floor space which makes the place look depressingly bare. Their in-house bakery is down to about a dozen items. The original Big C and Tesco on the north and east side of town look the same with no visible changes but they certainly didn't seem as busy as before. There's also a TOPS up there which was surprisingly good but I noticed a reduction on the imported stuff in the freezer. Villa opened up there fairly recently and their prices were always highest but was still popular with the locals that have cash and the moneyed Laotians but when I checked recently, there were notable gaps on their shelves and half-empty freezers as well.

Edited February 25, 2016 by NanLaew

[JSixpack]

JSixpack

I cannot justify my comment with a link or information about the big retailers in Pattaya closing without the support of the Ex Pat community but I think it was it was a fair comment based on my experiences witnessing the number of Ex Pats shopping there.

It would be Interesting if you could elucidate what your opinion is based on other than like mine "an opinion"

It's partly based on common sense. Guess you need to experience witnessing the lack of farang in those big retailers all over Thailand in places where there are few or almost no farang. I have. See NanLaew's post above.

And you need to observe which shopping carts are piled high & overflowing with a huge amount of stuff. It mostly ain't the farang carts.

When Big C took over Carrefour, a member (now banned) bitterly complained that Big C had promised to continue catering for farang as Carrefour did, but evil BIg C was breaking its promise! In fact if you read the announcement from Big C about that takeover, it explicitly said that the intention of Big C was to serve the Thai market. Nothing whatsoever about foreigners in there. Nothing. And the reason is simple: Thais would be spending the most. It's lucky they have what little they do for farangs that Thais would never buy.

So our member, and others, naturally predicted that Big C would fail. Whenever he went there, as he'd said he wouldn't do, he'd note with satisfaction that he saw NO farang in there, heh, heh. Just a matter of time . . . . Nowadays you see a goodly percentage of farangs and, contrary to forum received wisdom, even Chinese shopping in there. But most are still Thai of course. They are the vast majority and in fact farangs wouldn't buy a lot of what they buy.

Well, farangs have long comforted themselves that Thai business will collapse without their vast economic resources being constantly poured in, in fact underpinning the entire economy. If any little incident upsets one of our farangs, then it's "killing the goose that laid the golden eggs." That's a decades-long tradition that your post falls into. Heard it many times.

You may go read the grandaddy of them all: Ruling out the foreigner was a 17-page "killing the goose" bash fest in 2003 prompted by the news that after many years Thailand would dare raise visa fees. OMG. THIS WAS IT. The teeth gnashing, the hair pulling, the knickers twisting; the ranting, the wailing, the screaming, the anguish, the shock, the accusations of INSANITY, and of course the dire prophecies! No one would be left to shop in the malls, no one would buy condos, bar girls would disappear, and Thais would all have to return to work in rice paddies. Back to the Stone Age! So much for Siam Paragon (2005) and Central World (2006), both confidently predicted to fail upon opening, just like, later on, Pattaya's Big C Extra and CentralFestival Pattaya Beach. Farangs wouldn't shop there, so--no business! Bankruptcy!

So I'd say if all the farangs stopped shopping at Big C or Lotus, it'd hurt a bit but the continuing growth of Pattaya would soon take up the slack, all other things equal. Big C is a 129 billion baht corporation. Really think it would just shut the doors at Pattaya Klang if miffed farangs stopped going there? No.

Now if you'd said Foodland, Best, or Villa, I might have agreed with you, but it's all speculation. Businesses adapt, you see. If they can no longer sell Marmite, they'll sell something else the market seems to want--if they're well-managed.

[topt]

INCORRECT.......Friendship is always cheaper then big.

Kraft Mayo BigC 111, Friendship 89

Oberti can of olives Big C 95 , Friendship 68 i can go on and on, Once Carefour was bought out all Big C did was a raise there prices.

And when Villa starts an advert, within 2 days Friendship either matches or beats there price.

Great thread, OP. Thanks for all the work.

Each of us buys different sets of things, you really can't buy everything in one stop and we each live close to one market so tend to shop there. Living on the Darkside, on Nern Pub Wan, nothing is close.

That said, everything (but one item) I used to buy at Foodland is cheaper at Friendship -- at times 5-20 baht cheaper an item. I only "discovered" Friendship about six months ago. So my ranking goes: Friendship (nearly everything I want), Big C Extra (some meat), Foodland (it's handier for an item or two). I rarely go to Villa or Lotus or TOPS.

You half nailed it KB - "each of us buys different sets of things"....and at different times. There are so many promotions floating about at different times that If you have the time or are in and out regularly no one place is best. For many convenience will win however especially if you are only buying a few items.

Anybody have a good price on English breakfast style tea bags? 180 baht for 100 is the best I have been able to find recently but the quality is so so.

[balo]

This list just confirms what I already knew, avoid Villa market , unless you don't care about how much you spend. My favourite is Big C Xtra, great selection and also cheaper than Makro most of the time.

[thaihome]

...

If one of the big retailers here was to show that they had in fact reacted to the massive reduction in import prices which they control to a degree with their equally massive buying power I would become one of their most loyal customers

Was just curious if you can document this alleged "massive reduction in import price" which you think is due to lower oil prices. I think you will find that shipping rates have not gone down much if any at all. This is due to several factors including long term fuel contracts at higher prices, recent regulations requiring low sulphur fuels which cost more, low shipping deminds, and companies raising razor thin margins.

TH

[JESSVANPELT]

INCORRECT.......Friendship is always cheaper then big.

Kraft Mayo BigC 111, Friendship 89

Oberti can of olives Big C 95 , Friendship 68 i can go on and on, Once Carefour was bought out all Big C did was a raise there prices.

And when Villa starts an advert, within 2 days Friendship either matches or beats there price.

As I clearly stated, "If you feel my "basket" should have contained other items, please feel free to do the research and share with this thread." I am not incorrect. I just had a different basket, Please do go on and on. Please share. That is what this post is about. But don't attack please. That would be incorrect, don't you agree? I do like Friendship, it is my favorite store to go to if I need a few items. I would be interested in the price of these TWO items at other stores too, like Makro, Best...(and yes please do go on and on, it only helps others).

i did not attack and if you had a list of household basics your list would show different results

[n210mp]

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If one of the big retailers here was to show that they had in fact reacted to the massive reduction in import prices which they control to a degree with their equally massive buying power I would become one of their most loyal customers

Was just curious if you can document this alleged "massive reduction in import price" which you think is due to lower oil prices. I think you will find that shipping rates have not gone down much if any at all. This is due to several factors including long term fuel contracts at higher prices, recent regulations requiring low sulphur fuels which cost more, low shipping deminds, and companies raising razor thin margins.

TH

No and of course you are quite right to maybe "nail" the culprit as the transporters but my point is still a valid one, in that someone, Shipper, carrier is making big bucks out of cheaper oil and if as you correctly infer it is the carrier then why arent the Big buyers breathing down the necks of these carriers to reduce their transport costs and ergo the cost at the sales counters of the store to the customers?