Jersey food shopping costs a third more than UK, survey finds

A food shop in Jersey costs about a third more than it does at a budget supermarket in the UK

A food shop in Jersey can cost about a third more than it does at a UK supermarket, an authority has found.

The Jersey Competition Regulatory Authority found inflation, on-island operating costs and a lack of low-price suppliers contributed to higher costs.

Overall it found competition in the grocery market was working and firms were not making excessive profits.

Peter Hetherington, the authority's chief economist, said importation was a large factor in the higher costs.

'Number of factors'

He said: "There's higher on-island operating costs and freight, it's getting the goods from Portsmouth, and then from Portsmouth to the supermarket stores.

"There's obviously high labour costs, high property costs, there's obviously tax differences as well, so there's a number of factors that kind of explain the cost difference between Jersey and for example the UK."

Carl Walker from the consumer council said it needed the government to help.

He said: "I think this report now needs to be a springboard or a catalyst for further investigations to find out where the root cause of this is.

"Obviously freight is one of them, we've only got one way of shipping food or chilled food in and out of this island that needs exploring further, but also any ways in which the government or other leaders can help consumers out."

The government has been approached for comment.

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