Supermarkets Join Fierce Price War on New iPhones

A heated price war in Israel's mobile phone market has officially expanded from electronics retailers to supermarket chains, with major grocery and discount stores now competing intensely for consumers. What began as a limited move by one chain has rapidly escalated into a widespread battle among Israel's largest retail networks.

Shufersal is now offering the iPhone 18 Pro (256GB) with official import for NIS 5,199, including free delivery on its online platform. However, the "Galboa Index" reveals significant price disparities. Osher Ad sells the same model for NIS 4,499 under parallel import, while Gomobile Eilat offers it for NIS 4,349. Traditional electronics retailers are charging more, with Mechasei Hashmal at NIS 5,029, Super-Pharm at NIS 5,193, and Dynamic at NIS 5,289.

Other supermarket chains, including Victory and Rami Levy's HaStock, have also confirmed they will begin selling the new iPhone series. Retail industry experts anticipate that more food and discount chains will enter this competitive arena soon, further intensifying the market.

The significant entry of supermarket chains into the mobile phone sector signals a major shift for traditional electronics and computer retailers, forcing them to adapt to new competitive dynamics. While Israeli consumers benefit from increased accessibility and unprecedented price options, consumer experts advise careful consideration of the import type, warranty conditions, and the substantial differences between official and parallel imports before making a purchase.