Chamber of Labor Analysis

Here’s an easy way to save up to 24 euros per shopping trip

The Upper Austria Chamber of Labor analyzed four major retail chains.(Bild: stock.adobe.com)

A simple method with a big impact: If you opt for alternatives like store brands instead of name-brand products at the supermarket, you can save up to 24 euros per shopping trip. By contrast, the effect of the VAT reduction amounts to a maximum of 2.45 euros, according to an analysis by the Upper Austrian Chamber of Labor.

Consumer advocates at the Upper Austrian Chamber of Labor conducted test purchases over a five-month period at the four major retail chains—Spar, Billa, Hofer, and Lidl—filling shopping carts with 20 brand-name products and 20 equivalent alternatives at each store. Result: At Billa, the brand-name shopping basket cost around 58 euros in May, while the one with the cheaper alternatives cost only 34 euros—a difference of 24 euros.

Differences Between Supermarkets
The savings are similarly significant at Spar. At Hofer and Lidl—which carry fewer private-label brands—the difference between the shopping baskets was smaller; however, shopping at these two discount chains is cheaper overall. For example, the more expensive shopping basket cost 34 euros at Hofer in May (and the cheaper one just under 32 euros); at Lidl, the total came to 42 euros and 33 euros, respectively, with the alternative products.

It’s interesting to note that a reduction in the value-added tax on selected staple foods has been in effect since July. According to the Chamber of Labor, the savings resulting from this measure amounted to a maximum of just 2.45 euros for the shopping baskets.