Check Your Receipts After Shopping in Costa Rican Supermarkets.

The Ministry of Economy, Industry and Commerce (MEIC) recently conducted a study to determine whether the products in Costa Rica’s Canasta Básica (”basic basket”) — necessities like rice, beans, toilet paper, etc. — can actually be bought for their government-specified prices. Study results were both surprising and disappointing: not only do many supermarkets charge ¢20 to ¢225 more per Canasta Básica products, but five of the 20 grocery stores tested (25%) cheat their customers by secretly charging prices at the register more expensive than those marked on the shelf.

The Costa Rica government regulates the prices of all products in the Canasta Básica with a minimum and maximum allowable cost. Speculation (charging more than allowed by law), hoarding a product to create a de facto monopoly, or creating product purchase conditions are all specifically prohibited and punishable by law. Despite such restrictions, the MEIC study found that several Alajuela, San José, and Cartago supermarkets are guilty of speculation. For example, the study found that three stores (15%) — Muñoz y Nanne (San Pedro), the Megasuper Cartago, and the Megasuper Desamparados — charged more that allowed for 80/20 rice (the type regulated by law). Speculation carries a fine of ¢1,593,500 ($2,913) and ¢6,374,000 ($11,655).

Even more severe, the five cheating supermarkets — those that charge a higher price at the register than indicated on their shelves — are Megasúper de San Rafael de Abajo (Desamparado), the Perimercado La Gran Vía (downtown San José), the Jumbo Supermercado (Moravia), the Supermercado Muñoz y Nanne (San Pedro), and the Automercado El Límite (Moravia). This offense is punishable by law, and carries a fine of up to 40 minimum salaries, or ¢6.5 million ($11,883).

Another problem that MEIC encountered was a difference between the stated weight of a product and its actual weight. For example, MEIC found that products like beans and rice, which are sold in 1 or 2-kilogram packages, showed an actual weight of 900 and 1800 grams, respectively. Deceptive packaging, though not the fault of most supermarkets, is a serious blow to buying power, and MEIC recommends that all consumers weigh their products in-store.

In addition to the above problems, the MEIC study also strove to determine which stores had the best prices overall. To do so, the ministry collected which stores had the lowest product prices, and which stores had the highest. Among the lowest and highest-priced standouts:

Lowest Prices:
Hipermás: 15 lowest-priced products, 1 highest-priced
Palí: 11 lowest-priced products, 2 highest-priced

Highest Prices:
Megasuper: 1 lowest-priced product, 20 highest-priced
Muñoz y Nanne: 3 lowest-priced products, 13 highest-priced
Automercado: 0 lowest-priced products, 10 highest-priced
Más X Menos: 8 lowest-priced products, 15 highest-priced

Finally, MEIC compared Costa Rica’s Canasta Básica prices with those in Nicaragua, El Salvador, and Panama. The results may surprise you: though Costa Rica is often considered an expensive Central American nation, prices on many products — white rice, black beans, vegetable oil, and milk — are lower than the region’s average. However, other products — fresh cheese, whole chicken, red beans, and soda — cost more.

Costa Rica’s Canasta Básica exists to allow even the poorest Costa Ricans to eat a well-balanced diet keeping in mind the overall cost of Living in Costa Rica. Unfortunately, several supermarkets care more about their bottom line than the health of the nation, and have taken illegal steps to secure higher profit. MEIC will take them to court for this, however, and hopes to fine them heavily. Perhaps their example will serve as a warning to all others, and prices will fall within the government-regulated levels.

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Filed under: Living on August 1st, 2008