THIS WEEK the SUN SHOPPER continues tracking food prices in the supermarkets.
With the Value Added Tax (VAT) having increased from 15 percent to 17.5 per cent from last Wednesday, the SUN SHOPPER did another price check on Friday to see how the increase in VAT had impacted the number of items that could be purchased using $100.
  Buying the same items purchased last week Friday, the SUN SHOPPER spent 42 cents more for VAT-rated items. The VAT-rated items included toothpaste, bath soap, sanitary napkins, toilet tissue and antiperspirant. Stayfree maxi-pads increased by seven cents, Economy toilet tissue by three cents, Palmolive Soap by four cents, Lifebuoy Soap by four cents, Lady Speed Stick Powder Fresh by 17 cents, and Colgate toothpaste regular by seven cents.
  The SUN SHOPPER bought 17 items out of the 26 items for $89.29.
However, the bill was reduced from last week’s amount because the price of the chicken and lamb varied due to what was available on that day of shopping. Additionally, Texana yellow split peas replaced the Indian Girl yellow split peas because of the unavailability of the Indian Girl brand.
