Kosher versus non-kosher meat prices

ANT KATZ

We checked the current shelf prices at Pick n Pay in Rosebank, Johannesburg and in Sea Point, Cape Town. We did a similar exercise with Checkers, using the Balfour Park and Sea Point stores as examples.

As we said last week, no meat price survey is 100 per cent accurate, simply because prices quoted are those prevailing at the time of going to print (in this case Wednesday, May 10), and they may be altered the next day. Also, when comparing prices, one is not always getting like-for-like, as in the quality of the meat, the cut, trim and packaging.

Last week’s kosher price comparison, for example, on chicken breasts, ranged from packs that included skin and fat, while others had both removed. 

The results of this week’s survey were:      

Non-kosher lean mince was lowest at Checkers Sea Point at R70 per kilo and highest at Checkers in Johannesburg at R89, while it was R75 a kilo at both PnP stores.

The average supermarket price for kosher mince was R97,25/kg, which is just 26 per cent above the average non-kosher price of R77,25/kg.

Checkers Balfour also had the highest prices for non-kosher boerewors at R80/kg, followed by PnP Rosebank at R58 a kilo. At Sea Point Checkers, the price was R50/kg and at PnP Sea Point it was cheapest at R45/kg.

So, kosher customers who pay an average price of R95,50/kg for boerewors, are charged a hefty premium of 64 per cent over the average non-kosher price of R58,25.

Non-kosher lamb rib chops were R150/kg at both Johannesburg retailers, while PnP in Sea Point again came in lowest at R125/kg, while the nearby Checkers was highest at R155/kg.

Kosher lamb is an average of R195/kg, which is 35 per cent more than the average non-kosher lamb chops, which sell for an average of R145/kg.

Kosher roast beef is almost 90 per cent more than what non-kosher consumers are paying on average. While the basic non-kosher roast is topside, a generally more expensive hindquarter cut, the kosher roast, raisin rib, comes from the forequarter.

 Non-kosher beef roasts didn’t vary in price much. Checkers Balfour was lowest on this at R80/kg, while PnP Sea Point came in at R89/kg, PnP Johannesburg at R90 and the highest is Checkers in Cape Town at R95/kg.

When it comes to chicken, however, the kosher market prices are a whopping 124 per cent higher than non-kosher chicken, at an average of R90/kg versus R40,25/kg. This comparison was made on whole fresh chickens.

The non-kosher prices of chicken this week saw PnP in Johannesburg coming in at R33/kg; followed by PnP Cape Town at R35, Checkers Cape Town at R43 and topping the list was Checkers Balfour at R50 per kilogram.

If a consumer was to buy one kilo of each of the five items, they would get the best deal in PnP in Cape Town, paying just R369. At PnP in Johannesburg, they would pay R406, at Checkers in Cape Town, they would get their meat for R413 and at Checkers in Balfour, they would be out of pocket by R449.

This sample indicates that it is probably good to shop around in your own city – rather than look for bargains elsewhere in the country.