Holiday Shopping Basket Prices Vary Widely Across Israeli Supermarkets

As the Jewish New Year approaches, a price comparison of holiday staples reveals significant cost differences between major Israeli supermarket chains. A basket of essential items, including pomegranates, honey, fish, and chicken products, showed a price gap of over 250 shekels between the cheapest and most expensive options.

The study, conducted by Prices using artificial intelligence, found that Rami Levy offered the most affordable holiday basket at 1,309.40 shekels. In contrast, the most expensive basket was found at Uni-Store, costing 1,563.75 shekels, a difference of approximately 19.4% for identical products.

Notable price discrepancies were observed for specific items. For instance, a kilogram of pomegranates ranged from 6.90 shekels at Rami Levy and Yohananof to 12.90 shekels at Uni-Store, an almost 87% increase. Fresh Nile perch fillet also showed a substantial difference, priced at 64.90 shekels at Victory versus 94.90 shekels at Yohananof, a 46.2% jump.

Even basic items like fresh chicken thighs exhibited price variations, costing 24.90 shekels at Rami Levy compared to 29.90 shekels at other chains, a 20.1% difference. These cumulative price gaps can significantly impact the overall holiday budget, especially as shopping baskets typically expand during this period to include additional festive items.

While some product prices remain consistent with previous years, others, like pomegranates, have seen increases. Honey prices, however, remained relatively stable. The comparison underscores the importance of checking prices across different retailers and specific products to maximize savings before the holiday.