Is Food Really So Expensible? Continue Of The $13.000 Thread

[Lamb]

I dont get why people immediatly start complaining, or arguing. I dont have a car, i dont have time, its far, the fish is small etc. He's not forcing you to go there, he's just showing you a possibility to avoid the high prices. With some creativity it can be managed as people above me have shown, you just need to get out of your comfy box a little...

 

[Joe]

In May 2011, Belarus surprised its citizens by devaluing its currency by 50% overnight in an attempt to kickstart its economy, leading to swift and brutal hyperinflation.

Once this happens in Argentina, you too can have fun at the supermarket like these wise crackers:

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-01-12/hyperinflation-action-beer-bag-cash

 

[citygirl]

It is indeed an option. However, holding up the Central Market prices as reflective of what the reality is for most people food-shopping in Buenos Aires and Argentina is disingenuous at best.

Central Market prices are not representative of food prices in Argentina in general.

 

[scotttswan]

If they still had the large markets in Abasto, Spinetto and the other old places this would be great. As it is, its very time consuming to get out to the central market for the majority of people living in BA

 

[Rich One]

If they still had the large markets in Abasto, Spinetto and the other old places this would be great. As it is, its very time consuming to get out to the central market for the majority of people living in BA

As it is with no piquetes it would take me 45 minutes to 1 hour to drive from Recoleta, pay tolls, then add a couple of hours there gives a grand total of 4 hours max. ...!! plus add the gas. It may make sense for a large family but for a single person (my case) , the savings in food may be US$ 100 per month....!! NOT Worth...!!

 

[trennod]

Thanks for the info bajo cero.

What % of people that live in Buenos Aires would shop there? I imagine it would be very, very low.

I think markets are generally cheaper all around the world and these prices obviously look good on the face of it, but these are not the real prices that most people face day to day. Simply, its just not possible (and if it is practical), for most people that live in Buenos Aires to make it down there.

For me, for example I dont have a car either and even if I could organise one its a long way away. I am not sure it would be worth losing a whole day (I think I would value the time more than any savings at the counter). Plus, what if I just need to duck down during the week and grab a few things? The reality is that these are not real prices. And until they are, the cost of food is what is in my carrefour / disco / coto etc, at my local carniserias / verdulerias / fiambrerias etc.

 

[Bajo_cero2]

I second your opinion, the Mercado Central is an option if one has a vehicle, a freezer and time to spare. The salmon showed seems very small to me.

It was small indeed because is what they caught, it was not a farm raised one.
The price for the farm raised salmon per kilo is 48 pesos. Regards

 

[Bajo_cero2]

As it is with no piquetes it would take me 45 minutes to 1 hour to drive from Recoleta, pay tolls, then add a couple of hours there gives a grand total of 4 hours max. ...!! plus add the gas. It may make sense for a large family but for a single person (my case) , the savings in food may be US$ 100 per month....!! NOT Worth...!!

I also live in Recoleta and it takes 30 minutes by 9 de Julio and the highway. I spent 20 minutes buying the vegetables and fruits and about 30 minutes at the fish warehouse but only because I arrived late. If you arrive before 7 it is an in and out. Next time I plan to go at 10.15 PM in the night just after they open.

I don t agree with you that you need a whole family for going there. I love melons and there are a lot better. I bough a box of super sweet melons (7) for 50 pesos. Besides my appartment there is a verduleria where they cost 20 pesos and they are tasteless.

I don t go there because I need to save money. I look for variety and quality. Verdulerias are full of fruits flies and I don t like the idea of eating its worms. The quality they offer is low, when you go to the CM you realize that they just sell the cheapest but super expensive.

People who needs to save money goes after midday and there are a lot of free buses from government for helping them to ge there.

Fish and seafood, on the other hand, are super fresh there (It was alive 12 hours before) and there is a lot more variety, inclusive alive seafood. If you like sashimi you need super fresh fish.

Regards

 

[Bajo_cero2]

Thanks for the info bajo cero.

What % of people that live in Buenos Aires would shop there? I imagine it would be very, very low.

According with this art article, in 2003 there were 360.000 people per month.
http://old.clarin.co.../24/h-04615.htm

It also said that normally 1 person buys on behalf of some families as I proposed before.

It means that if you calculate 360.000 per 4 (an average medium class family), it means that 1.440.000 people depends directly from the boughts at the CM. However, low class families normally are no les than 6. It means that no less than the 10% of the population of this city buys there.

If we follow the assert that every person who buys there means:
2 families: 2.880.000 people
3 families: 4.320.000 people

But according to this article, there are many NGO or cooperatives that buys there and they split after between many families that lives too far to go there by their self.

So, I believe that the ammount of people who buys straight there (no verdulerias) is quite important.

I think markets are generally cheaper all around the world and these prices obviously look good on the face of it, but these are not the real prices that most people face day to day. Simply, its just not possible (and if it is practical), for most people that live in Buenos Aires to make it down there..

Well, the whole idea about that there is only one kind of smart buyer that looks for the maximum economy efficiency of his money is a lie. Many people doesn t know it exist, some other is lazy or they just don t care. I think that it is important, especially for you who are foreigners, to know that it exist and there you can have great quiality and prices. Then it is up to you if you want to go or not.

For me, for example I dont have a car either and even if I could organise one its a long way away. I am not sure it would be worth losing a whole day (I think I would value the time more than any savings at the counter). Plus, what if I just need to duck down during the week and grab a few things? The reality is that these are not real prices. And until they are, the cost of food is what is in my carrefour / disco / coto etc, at my local carniserias / verdulerias / fiambrerias etc.

Well, there are 3 reasons to go there: 1) quality 2) price 3) variety.
You are considering only price. I don´t go there for saving money, I look for quality and some items that are difficult to find.

I didn´t go there for about 20 years because of the same reasons you mentioned but I got tired about the super expensive Disco because last week I have to drop about 400 pesos in items that were rotten because they obviously turn off the fridges during night. The day after at the verduleria besides my appartmentthey sold me 1/4 of sandia for 20 pesos and it was rotten . Plus all the verdulerias around that are full of fruit flies that are super disgusting. I went to barrio chino and they had a little variety and stock of fish, mainly not fresh and after all that in 3 days I got tired and drived to the CM and I was surprised about how could I waste so many years not going there.

Regards

 

[trennod]

But I am sure there are plenty of singles that go there too, and plus I am also certain they go more than once a month, if they do. And if not, they would also be buying elsewhere in between. If we talk on a quantity basis I think 5% would be optimistic, and even if we did say 10% thats a very very small proportion, ie 90% doesnt access those prices.

Point 2 I made that you responded is basically see above. I am not saying everyone is searching, I am just saying that again these arent common prices, they are more wholesale and if not wholesale for a small proportion. I think alot of foreigners are awaree of these (I certainly was), but again you have done a fantastic job in putting up this info and I think it is very helpful, kudos to your efforts

I only didnt mention quality / choice but it could be put in with price. It just wouldnt be worth it to me. But, give me a few more years of 30%+ inflation at where I usually shop plus wage increases that dont quite match it, and a few more years to be exhausted of the lack of range / quality and I might be right there behind you or offering you some petrol money for a lift