Shock at the Supermarket

[YanquiGallego]

So I went to the local COTO today after not having gone grocery shopping in awhile, and must say that I was completely mortified:

*I am a single guy and don´t cook much, so when I do, I am used to the convenience foods. Everywhere else, these are reasonably priced. The brand of frozen individual sized pizza I typically buy in Spain for 2 euros, was 40 pesos here. The COTO house brand was a mere (!) 26 pesos. I didnt get any as I can call pizza delivery (not a fancy joint, but a typical Tomasso type place) and get a freshly prepared one for under 20 pesos (napolitana or margharita)

*Whats with the cheese prices? There were some priced at around 85 pesos! I ended up getting a 20 peso Danbo which I still feel I got jacked bcause it tastes like plastic

*Imports are through the roof expensive. The nicer Twinings tea packs that come in the metal tins were 200 pesos, Pepperedge Farm cookies were 80 pesos, Mexican salsa 65 pesos, Grey Goose vodka was 350 pesos, and A1 Steak Sauce was 28 pesos. No go again.

*The YERBA mate was scarce with signs in that aisle saying that they couldnt get certain brands anymore at this time, and the ones that they did have were rationed to 2 per purchase.

I basically went with the idea of buying a few things to have around the house, and ended up getting cereal, yogurt, Sprite, sparkling water (not the 80 peso Pelligrino), some crackers, that horrible cheese, and a bottle of table wine for a total of 200 pesos.

*You can now also pay in cuotas on any tab over 100 pesos

These price points on basic food items are extremely frustrating and something´s gotta give here.

 

[bebero]

Wow! I don't want to argue with you, I agree that food is SUPER expensive, I just wanted to say that Pepperidge Cookies were 30 pesos today at the Pick market and Jumbo

in case you really want some one day

 

[Davidglen77]

Once again I will recommend "Día" supermarkets. The branch on Entre Rios near Independencia is new, well stocked and has fast efficient check out. No pepperidge farm cookies there, but then again, with all of the confiterías here in Bs. As. why would you buy pepperidge farm?

 

[PhilipDT]

Don't buy cheese at the supermarket, buy here http://www.esanfrancisco.com.ar/

High end vodka is absurdly expensive, if you like grey goose go to uruguay and buy it on the boat. 2 bottles and you've more than paid for your trip.

 

[garygrunson]

You are really out of touch. None of this is new. I am sure you have not been in COTO in years, all these prices have been around for a while, even if your prices are a little higher than actual prices, and this cheese has always sucked. You need to get out more and open your eyes. Prices are high and the quality is low, you are not in Kansas anymore...

 

[davonz]

Even time i am away from agentina for a few months and return i get supermarket price shock. All the price increases dont seem so bad when you are here and going to the supermarket on a daily/weekly bases as they move up slowly.

Shop around as there can be big variations in prices between the supermarkets. I usually go to dia for the basics, and then coto for most other stuff, and finally disco if dia or coto dont have what i want. However i have noticed that disco is sometimes cheaper than coto now, and if they are more expensive, not as much as they use to be in percentage terms.

 

[Crema Americana]

My brother in law bought some artesenal cheese in Tigre recently... "queso de cabra" (goat cheese) he called it, but it tastes very similar to the cheese I eat in Spain. Of course a trip to Tigre to buy good meats and cheese at reasonable prices isn't the most practical -and you often have to buy in large quantities to get real savings- but for every once in a while it might be worth it.

I just stay away from all imports now. It's just not worth it... I might splurge if I really have a craving for good chocolate or Nutella, but best to stick to the national brands even if they aren't the greatest quality.

 

[steveinbsas]

So far this thread has been very general. Can anyone cite some specific price increases on basic items like butter, bread, or beer?

200 grms of butter here is about 8 pesos. A 970 cm3 liter bottle of Quilmes BOCK just hit 12 pesos, but pan de campo frances is still only $1.50 per loaf (and it's very good).

 

[ElQueso]

Cheese has always been relatively expensive here. But in the last couple of years it has indeed gotten outrageously expensive. I don't really understand why. I haven't had any local cheeses in BA that I like. I've heard there is a place outside the city in GBA that sells good buffalo cheese, but I don't remember the place.

But the prices they charge for locally-made cheese is incredible, particularly due to the fact that, to me at least, it's all very plastic-like with little to no flavor. Even the "cheddar" slices I buy in the super taste like American cheese (think Kraft) - which is better than nothing considering I could probably cook the plastic seperators that come with some Danbo cheeses and not know the difference from the cheese slice itself

Damn how I miss Cracker Barrel sharp cheddar...

 

[PhilipDT]

So far this thread has been very general. Can anyone cite some specific price increases on basic items like butter, bread, or beer?

200 grms of butter here is about 8 pesos. A 970 cm3 liter bottle of Quilmes BOCK just hit 12 pesos, but pan de campo frances is still only $1.50 per loaf (and it's very good).

At the coto near my house:
200g of butter is 5 something. Same with regular Quilmes (bock is more). A baguette is about $2.50