Staff Writer
Household purchasing patterns in Namibia are shifting as grocery prices and income limits change how people spend.
A Windhoek-based basket tracking exercise, which monitors a fixed list of essential goods across major retailers, shows that the base price for groceries has moved higher. The exercise is not an official consumer price index, but it reflects what shoppers pay at the till, according to a study by Simonis Storm.
In September 2025, the lowest-priced mainstream basket stood at N$978.58 at Shoprite Holdings Ltd outlets. It was the only major chain offering a basket below N$1000 that month.
In October 2025, Shoprite again recorded the lowest price at N$988.59. Choppies Enterprises Limited stood at N$1028.78, while Metro Namibia recorded N$1 121.78.
By December 2025, even the cheapest basket exceeded N$1 000. Shoprite remained the lowest-priced retailer. Pick n Pay Namibia and Choppies clustered around N$1032.78. Metro’s basket stood at N$1120.68.
The data suggests that N$1000 has become a new baseline for essential groceries.
“The widening spread has encouraged households to split shopping baskets across retailers, prioritise promotional items, and shift purchases toward the most competitive chain in a given month,” Simonis Storm said.
Pricing competition has also been influenced by ownership changes. Pick n Pay Namibia moved to full local control under Ohlthaver & List Group on 1 July 2025. Locally controlled chains can adjust pricing and supplier negotiations more quickly in price-sensitive markets.
Food inflation continues to add pressure. Reporting linked to the Food and Agriculture Organization global food price benchmark shows annual food inflation in Namibia reached about 6.4% in June 2025, up from 4.3% in June 2023. Meat, fruit and vegetables recorded the largest increases.
The wider economy also limits spending power. Namibia’s strict unemployment rate stood at 36.9% in 2023. Broad unemployment reached 54.8%. Out of a labour force of 867 247 people, 320 442 were employed.
Analysts say the key issue is the size of the income group earning above basic levels such as N$5 000 or N$10 000 per month. The middle-income segment remains small. This makes spending sensitive to price increases.
Credit is playing a larger role in consumption. In categories such as furniture and household appliances, credit sales account for an estimated 70% to 80% of transactions. Cash purchases make up about 20% to 30%.
