Supermarket prices are going up, dairy products are becoming increasingly expensive
03-05-2024 – 8 minutes reading time
Greek Yogurt cost as much as $21.79 in early March. Photo: ABC Online Media
KRALENDIJK – This year the minimum salaries increased in January. This salary will increase even further in July. This seemed like good news. However, as was already expected, prices on the island would rise accordingly. Sales prices in supermarkets rose along with the increase in minimum salaries. Time for Bonaire.nu to do research to see where the cheapest dairy products can be purchased.
A helpdesk was set up at the end of 2023 where residents of the island could indicate when price increases in supermarkets, for example, would become exorbitant. A little later, at the beginning of January 2024, the concerned deputy Nina den Heyer even said: “Don’t let it get to the point where we have to determine the price.” Whether that message helped, that seems to be the question. Residents and also tourists complain. Prices in supermarkets are rising sharply with the increase in minimum salaries. It appears that supermarkets and intermediate suppliers determine the price on the market and that no obstacles are put in their way. Local entrepreneur Onnie Emerenciana watched it with dismay. He decided to help the local people. On Saturdays he offers fruit and vegetables at competitive prices. But are the prices in the supermarkets so expensive? Bonaire.nu went to see what the situation was with dairy. Products that are seen for having a healthy lifestyle.
Egg prices are the same
It is striking that the large local eggs (12 pieces) from Punta Blanku are the same price at every supermarket. Only the eggs with pink or blue packaging made of foam can be cheaper. These are eggs where large M is indicated. Nice to see that the lucky supermarket had a nice promotion. They sell a box of 30 eggs for only $10. Strangely enough, they were immediately the most expensive with a different brand of eggs. Here you paid $5.95 for twelve pieces. In 2017, the maximum price of a carton of eggs was $1.37.
| Eggs (L) | Eggs (M) | Eggs USA (L) | Eggs Webh Maroon | Large box (30 eggs) | |
| Van den Tweel | $5.35 | – | $4.59 | – | |
| Warehouse Bonaire | $5.35 | – | – | – | |
| BonDiGro | – | $3.20 | – | – | |
| Famoso | $5.35 | – | – | – | |
| Lucky Supermarket | $5.35 | $5.95 | – | $10 | |
| Pietersz | – | $4.70 | – | – | |
| Wing Cheung Supermarket Kaya Korona | $5.37 | – | – | $4.95 | – |
| Food market Kaya Nikiboko North | $5.35 | – | – | – | |
| Rincon Supermarket Kaya Nikiboko North | $5.35 | – | – | – |
Little fresh milk on the island
Whether or not milk is healthy is up for debate. It is striking that few supermarkets offer fresh milk. Van den Tweel was the cheapest. With the McArthur brand they can offer the best price per liter. When it comes to long-life milk, it is worth going to BonDiGro. A liter carton of Landhof brand milk costs $1.72.
| Fresh milk | Long-life Whole Milk | Long-life semi-skimmed milk | Long-life Whole Milk Brand Globemilk | Long-life milk Frisian Flag | Long-life milk Arla | |
| Van den Tweel | $2.46 | $2.09 | $1.99 | $2.59 | – | – |
| Warehouse Bonaire | $3.79 | $2.09 | No price tag | $2.29 | – | – |
| BonDiGro | – | $1.88 | $1.72 | – | – | – |
| Famoso | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Lucky Supermarket | – | – | – | $2.50 | – | $2.25 |
| Pietersz | – | – | – | $2.20 | $3.30 | – |
| Wing Cheung Supermarket Kaya Korona | – | $2.35 | $2.15 | – | $2.46 | $1.93 |
| Food market Kaya Nikiboko North | – | $2.15 | – | $2.40 | $2.65 | $2.25 |
| Rincon Supermarket Kaya Nikiboko North ** | – | – | – | $2.30 | $2.75 | $2.00 |
Cheap Cheese at Bondigro
Even though some supermarkets have multiple types of cheese. The cheese price comparison only looked at young and young matured cheese. The BonDiGro is the cheapest when it comes to young matured cheese. When it comes to young cheese, it is best to drive to Wing Cheung Supermarket on Kaya Korona. They offer a price of $12.00 for a kilo of cheese.
| Young Cheese | Young mature cheese | |
| Van den Tweel | $16.39 | $20.58 |
| Warehouse Bonaire | $14.66 | $16.46 |
| BonDiGro | – | $11.00 |
| Famoso | $19.69 | $20.00 |
| Lucky Supermarket | $19.75 | – |
| Pietersz | – | $11.00 |
| Wing Cheung Supermarket Kaya Korona | $12.00 | – |
| Food market Kaya Nikiboko North | $16.93 | $17.94 |
| Rincon Supermarket Kaya Nikiboko North ** | $16.51 | $9.49 |
** Cheese in slices is not included
Little selection of yogurt
Few supermarkets offer yogurt. The cheapest can be bought at van den Tweel and the Warehouse. It is striking that these supermarkets are increasingly equalizing the prices of different products.
| Yogurt Probiotic | |
| Van den Tweel | $3.55 |
| Warehouse Bonaire | $3.55 |
| BonDiGro | – |
| Famoso | $4.25 |
| Lucky Supermarket | – |
| Pietersz | $4.00 |
| Wing Cheung Supermarket Kaya Korona | – |
| Food market Kaya Nikiboko North | – |
| Rincon Supermarket Kaya Nikiboko North | – |
The study also looked at the product butter. Because almost all supermarkets have their own brands of butter, it is difficult to make an accurate comparison. Specific products such as almond milk, coffee milk, ice cream, chocolate milk, whipped cream and organic products have been omitted.
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Tags: Supermarket prices dairy products increasingly expensive
