A Review and Comparative Analysis of Retail Grocery Price Variations

Abstract

Retail grocery price variations in Dublin are examined with a view to confirming that systematic structural and locational variations exist at different time periods. The relevance of the price component to central-place theory, consumer shopping behaviour, and low-income consumers is briefly indicated prior to a detailed review of previous price-variation studies. Two surveys in Dublin indicate temporal consistency in certain hypotheses for different ranges of products, and more detailed analyses indicate the importance of organisational structure in accounting for retail price variations. A stepwise multiple-regression analysis is developed to determine the best predictors of price variations. The data are also examined to determine whether low-income consumers pay significantly more for their groceries than the more affluent and mobile socioeconomic groups.