Cost of Groceries in Kitwe – A Snap Shot

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I remember a time when a 50kg bag of mealie meal (maize meal) cost K6.00 in Kitwe! In a discussion about the rising cost of commodities, I once suggested that one day, a bag would cost K80.00, and everybody burst out laughing. That was a few years back. Kapenta - kitwe Online Weekly shopping bills change all the time. It will be interesting to record the changes with time. Here's a list of some common items.

Write in and tell us what these items cost at your favourite shop or market and we will populate this table with today's prices. Even if you write in with the price of just one item, that will help with this project of calculating the average prices. You can also suggest items to include in the list. The plan is to revisit the prices in 6 months or 1 year, to see what has changed. Feel free to suggest what you would consider a meaningful interval.  

You can download the list, fill in any number of items you choose and then Email back as an attachment, or you can just feedback in a comment below (stating the price in Kwacha).

Item Quantity           Kwacha          US$:  
 		               £ :     Category
Bottled water              2,500.00          0.51              0.32     Beverages
Coca cola – bottle              3,000.00          0.61              0.39     Beverages
Coca Cola – can              4,500.00          0.92              0.58     Beverages
Cocoa           15,000.00          3.07              1.95     Beverages
Coffee           15,000.00          3.07              1.95     Beverages
Fruit juice              9,500.00          1.95              1.23     Beverages
Mazoe            10,500.00          2.15              1.36     Beverages
Tea bags 250g            4,500.00          0.92              0.58     Beverages
Tea bags 500g         12,000.00          2.46              1.56     Beverages
Cereal 500g         14,000.00          2.87              1.82     Boxed foods
Cookies           10,000.00          2.05              1.30     Boxed foods
Crackers           16,500.00          3.38              2.14     Boxed foods
Jungle Oats 500g         15,000.00          3.07              1.95     Boxed foods
Bread              5,000.00          1.02              0.65     Bread
Buns 1            1,000.00          0.20              0.13     Bread
Hotdog buns              5,000.00          1.02              0.65     Bread
Pizza           60,000.00        12.30              7.80     Bread
Meat pie              5,000.00          1.02              0.65     Bread
Chili              1,500.00          0.31              0.19     Canned
Fruit – canned              9,000.00          1.84              1.17     Canned
Mushrooms                        –       Canned
Peeled tomatoes              5,000.00          1.02              0.65     Canned
Soups              7,000.00          1.43              0.91     Canned
Spaghetti Sauce           10,000.00          2.05              1.30     Canned
Tomato paste              5,000.00          1.02              0.65     Canned
Tuna                        –       Canned
Vegetables                         –       Canned
Breakfast bar 500g                      –       Cereals
Cereal 750g         21,500.00          4.41              2.79     Cereals
Cereal 1kg         30,000.00          6.15              3.90     Cereals
Cheese         100,000.00        20.49            12.99     Cereals
Cooking Oil 2.5L         24,000.00          4.92              3.12     Condiments
Cooking Oil 10L         49,000.00        10.04              6.37     Condiments
Honey              9,000.00          1.84              1.17     Condiments
Jam              8,000.00          1.64              1.04     Condiments
Mayonnaise           10,000.00          2.05              1.30     Condiments
Mustard           10,000.00          2.05              1.30     Condiments
Olives           15,000.00          3.07              1.95     Condiments
Peanut butter           11,000.00          2.25              1.43     Condiments
Salad dressing                        –       Condiments
Soy sauce                        –       Condiments
Syrup              5,000.00          1.02              0.65     Condiments
Tomato sauce              7,000.00          1.43              0.91     Condiments
Butter           10,000.00          2.05              1.30     Dairy
Cheese           10,000.00          2.05              1.30     Dairy
Eggs 1            1,000.00          0.20              0.13     Dairy
Ice cream              3,500.00          0.72              0.45     Dairy
Margarine           28,000.00          5.74              3.64     Dairy
Milk 2L         12,000.00          2.46              1.56     Dairy
Yogurt           10,000.00          2.05              1.30     Dairy
Ice cream tub 1L         40,000.00          8.20              5.20     Dairy
Milk – powdered           36,000.00          7.38              4.68     Dairy
Milk satchet 250ml            3,000.00          0.61              0.39     Dairy
Beans – dried           10,000.00          2.05              1.30     Dried Foods
Bread crumbs              2,000.00          0.41              0.26     Dried Foods
Mealie meal (corn meal) 25kg         55,000.00        11.27              7.15     Dried Foods
Pasta              7,000.00          1.43              0.91     Dried Foods
Rice           35,000.00          7.17              4.55     Dried Foods
Mealie meal (corn meal) 50kg         90,000.00        18.44            11.69     Dried foods
Chisense fish           15,000.00          3.07              1.95     Fish
Fish – dried 1kg         45,000.00          9.22              5.85     Fish
Kapenta – fresh           25,000.00          5.12              3.25     Fish
Kasepa fish           25,000.00          5.12              3.25     Fish
Dinners/Meals                        –       Frozen
Fish – fresh 1kg         19,000.00          3.89              2.47     Frozen
Frozen potatoes           30,000.00          6.15              3.90     Frozen
Juices                        –       Frozen
Pizza                        –       Frozen
Pot pies                        –       Frozen
Sausage roll              3,000.00          0.61              0.39     Frozen
Vegetables              3,500.00          0.72              0.45     Frozen
Apples 1            1,000.00          0.20              0.13     Fruit
Banana 1            1,000.00          0.20              0.13     Fruit
Lemons 1            1,000.00          0.20              0.13     Fruit
Melon              5,000.00          1.02              0.65     Fruit
Oranges 1            1,000.00          0.20              0.13     Fruit
Pears           10,000.00          2.05              1.30     Fruit
Bleach           10,000.00          2.05              1.30     Laundry
Detergent              5,000.00          1.02              0.65     Laundry
Fabric softener           14,000.00          2.87              1.82     Laundry
Spray starch                        –       Laundry
Stain remover           46,000.00          9.43              5.98     Laundry
Bacon                        –       Meats
Chicken 1kg         15,000.00          3.07              1.95     Meats
Ham                        –       Meats
Lamb chops                        –       Meats
Liver 1kg         15,000.00          3.07              1.95     Meats
Mince meat 1kg         25,000.00          5.12              3.25     Meats
Pork                        –       Meats
Sausages 1kg         10,000.00          2.05              1.30     Meats
Steak 1kg         25,000.00          5.12              3.25     Meats
Turkey 1kg         75,000.00        15.37              9.74     Meats
Aluminium foil           10,000.00          2.05              1.30     Paper products
Facial tissue              5,000.00          1.02              0.65     Paper products
Garbage Bin bags           10,000.00          2.05              1.30     Paper products
Napkins              5,000.00          1.02              0.65     Paper products
Paper Plates 10            5,000.00          1.02              0.65     Paper products
Paper towels           15,000.00          3.07              1.95     Paper products
Plastic wrap           15,000.00          3.07              1.95     Paper products
Toilet roll              2,500.00          0.51              0.32     Paper products
Paper cups              5,000.00          1.02              0.65     Paper products
Bath soap                        –       Personal care
Cotton swabs           10,000.00          2.05              1.30     Personal care
Deodorant           25,000.00          5.12              3.25     Personal care
Hair conditioner              7,000.00          1.43              0.91     Personal care
Make-up                        –       Personal care
Razors           20,000.00          4.10              2.60     Personal care
Shampoo           10,000.00          2.05              1.30     Personal care
Shaving cream                        –       Personal care
Toothpaste              6,000.00          1.23              0.78     Personal care
Vaseline           10,000.00          2.05              1.30     Personal care
Panadol              1,000.00          0.20              0.13     Pharmacy
Cod                        –       Sea  food
Kapenta – dried                        –       Sea  food
Kapenta – fresh                        –       Sea  food
Salmon                        –       Sea  food
Shrimp                        –       Sea  food
Tuna                        –       Sea  food
Crisps              3,000.00          0.61              0.39     snacks
Nuts           12,000.00          2.46              1.56     snacks
Popcorn              3,000.00          0.61              0.39     snacks
Pretzels                        –       snacks
Basil           10,000.00          2.05              1.30     Spices
Dried herbs                        –       Spices
Meat Tenderizer                        –       Spices
Pepper                        –       Spices
Salt              4,000.00          0.82              0.52     Spices
Diapers           20,000.00          4.10              2.60     Toiletries
Toilet disinfectant           10,000.00          2.05              1.30     Toiletries
Artichokes                        –       Vegetables
Asparagus                        –       Vegetables
Beans – fresh(green)              5,000.00          1.02              0.65     Vegetables
Broccoli           15,000.00          3.07              1.95     Vegetables
Brussel sprouts                        –       Vegetables
Cabbage              3,500.00          0.72              0.45     Vegetables
Carrots              8,000.00          1.64              1.04     Vegetables
Cauliflower           13,000.00          2.66              1.69     Vegetables
Celery                        –       Vegetables
Chives                        –       Vegetables
Cucumber              5,000.00          1.02              0.65     Vegetables
Garlic                        –       Vegetables
Green onions                        –       Vegetables
Green peppers 1kg            8,000.00          1.64              1.04     Vegetables
Lettuce                        –       Vegetables
Mushrooms           10,000.00          2.05              1.30     Vegetables
Onions 1kg            8,000.00          1.64              1.04     Vegetables
Parsley                        –       Vegetables
Peppers                        –       Vegetables
Potatoes                        –       Vegetables
Rape              3,500.00          0.72              0.45     Vegetables
Spinach                        –       Vegetables
Squash                        –       Vegetables
Tomatoes                        –       Vegetables
Pumpkin leaves              1,000.00          0.20              0.13     Vegetables
                         –        
  Total:   1,625,500.00     333.09         211.19      

 

 

Thanks to all who have allowed themselves to be interviewed and those  who have sent in suggestions. Keep those ideas rolling in. Write your comments in the box below.

 

 

 

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