Checkers vs Woolworths vs Pick n Pay: Where to buy the cheapest basket of goods for a South African braai

An analysis by Daily Investor found that Checkers is the cheapest major grocery retailer in South Africa to buy braai ingredients, beating Pick n Pay and Woolworths.

The cost of having a braai in South Africa continued to rise in October, with food prices increasing for a fifth consecutive month.

This is according to the latest Braai Index, which recorded annual inflation of 4.1% in October. This was down from 5.2% in September, the highest reading in 12 months. Prices increased by 0.1% month-on-month.

The index tracks the cost of a typical South African braai using retail pricing data from the PMBEJD. It provides an early indication of food price trends before Stats SA publishes its official inflation figures.

The latest increase was largely driven by vegetables, particularly tomatoes, potatoes and onions. These items have recorded significant price increases over the past year and, in some cases, over the past month.

Meat prices have moved in the opposite direction. Beef, wors and chicken have become cheaper, although prices are falling from a high base following recent industry pressures.

The broader inflation outlook remains under pressure from higher energy costs. Rising fuel prices, linked to the US-Iran war, have increased costs across the economy.

These pressures are also filtering through to food prices, as farmers face higher energy costs and retailers pay more for freight and logistics.

Inflation is expected to rise to 5% in October, partly due to higher fuel prices. It is then projected to cool in November following a R10 billion fuel price relief package.

However, energy pressures are expected to persist into 2027, while the anticipated effects of El Niño could add further pressure.

The Braai Index uses a basket of meat, vegetables and other staples typically bought by South African households. Its methodology originated from Bloomberg.

The basket includes beef, wors and chicken portions, alongside vegetables such as spinach, carrots, tomatoes, potatoes, onions and green peppers. It also includes samp, maize, curry powder and salt.

The index excludes other proteins, such as pork and lamb, as they are not included in the PMBEJD data.

Where to buy the braai ingredients in South Africa

To see how some of South Africa’s biggest retailers’ prices compare when it comes to braai ingredients, Daily Investor created a ‘braai basket’.

For this comparison, prices from Checkers, Pick n Pay and Woolworths were used. The total value of the basket was calculated based solely on the full price of each item, with no specials applied.

The ingredients in said basket are based on the Braai Index and comprise the following:

• 500g Cerebos Iodated Table Salt
• 100g Robertsons Rajah Medium Curry Powder
• 2.5kg Iwisa No 1 Super Maize Meal
• 1kg Samp Iwisa or store-brand
• 400g Baby Spinach
• 1kg Carrots
• 1kg Tomatoes
• 2kg Potatoes
• 1kg Brown Onions
• 2pk Green Peppers
• Beef Short Rib per kg
• Grabouw Wors per kg
• 2kg Frozen Chicken Mixed Portions Farmer’s Choice or store-brand

Checkers emerged as the most affordable grocery retailer, with a braai basket priced at R629.87. Pick n Pay came in second, at R694.87.

Woolworths was the most expensive, coming in at R801.87, which is R172 more expensive than Checkers.

The premium retailer’s produce was slightly more expensive than Checkers and Pick n Pay. However, Woolworths’ meat products were much more expensive than its competitors.

For example, the 2kg pack of frozen chicken from Woolworths cost R144.99, compared to Checkers and Pick n Pay, which both cost R94.99.

On the other side of the spectrum, this is exactly what gave Checkers an advantage over the other retailers.

While its produce tended to be slightly more affordable than Pick n Pay’s, its meat products were significantly cheaper.

Notably, Daily Investor also recently compared the value of a breakfast basket, which showed similar results.

In this comparison, Checkers also had the most affordable prices, Woolworths was the most expensive, and Pick n Pay ranked in the middle.

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Braai basket comparison

The chart below shows how Woolworths Food, Checkers, and Pick n Pay compared on the braai food basket.

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