Despite the fact that the inflation that food is experiencing slowed down last month, prices are still very high. This forces consumers to continue looking for ways to save on the shopping cart, and a very good alternative may be to buy frozen products.
This is reflected in a study by the Organization of Consumers and Users (OCU) which, after analyzing the prices of 20 foods, has observed that vegetables and chicken are 44% and 21% cheaper if they are frozen and private label . The prices have been collected from various supermarkets, such as Carrefour, Alcampo, El Corte Inglés, Mercadona, Lidl, Aldi, Dia and Eroski.
The private label frozen vegetables that represent the greatest savings are peas: 97% cheaper than fresh. They are followed by green beans (71%), spinach (57%), broccoli (44%), broad beans (39%), chard (27%), artichokes (15%) and cauliflower (6% ). Frozen potatoes, on the other hand, are 30% more expensive than fresh ones.
Chicken in its frozen and private label version can also be cheaper. Hindquarters can be 23% cheaper, chicken drumsticks 22%, and wings 18%. Although not all supermarkets have this frozen meat: only in Alcampo, Carrefour and Mercadona.
In the case of fish, it is not always clear whether it is cheaper to buy it fresh or frozen. Hake fillets can be cheaper in their frozen version, specifically, 38% on average. The same occurs with tuna steaks (13%) and cod (7%). With shrimp, barely 1% is saved, explains the organization, and ring squid, roosterfish and salmon are more expensive frozen.
But, in general, fish prices are highly variable, since they depend on the species, the fishing gear and the seasonality. That is why the OCU always recommends comparing both options, “especially if there is fresh produce in season,” he remarks.
Among the chains analysed, the cheapest frozen foods have been Alcampo, Mercadona and Aldi, and the most expensive, La Sirena and El Corte Inglés.
The doubt that many consumers have when buying frozen is whether they are just as nutritious as fresh. Given this, the OCU responds that “the nutritional quality is exactly the same as that of fresh food, whether it is a vegetable, chicken or fish.”
However, he insists on the importance of selecting the product well and proper defrosting. “Chicken and fish should ideally be left in the fridge itself for 12 hours on a rack,” the experts conclude.
