TIRANA, Albania — October 21, 2026 — Food prices in Albania continue to vary between supermarket chains despite the government’s request to keep prices low for a three-month period. A comparison by the “Krahaso” app shows that an identical basket of 11 basic food products costs less at SPAR than at Xhangolli and Conad.
According to prices reported by the supermarket chains to the Ministry of Economy and Innovation’s official price-monitoring platform, the basket costs:
- SPAR: 1,720 lekë
- Xhangolli: 1,752 lekë
- Conad: 1,853 lekë
The difference between the cheapest and most expensive basket is 133 lekë, or approximately 7.2%.
Imported brands show the biggest price differences
The comparison includes everyday products such as milk, eggs, flour, sugar, sunflower oil, pasta, yogurt and butter, using the same brands and quantities wherever applicable.
Some of the largest differences involve imported brands. Lurpak butter, in a 200-gram package, costs 285 lekë at Xhangolli and 335 lekë at Conad. Barilla No. 5 pasta, in a 500-gram package, costs 90 lekë at SPAR and 119 lekë at Conad.
A one-liter carton of Parmalat milk costs 230 lekë at SPAR, compared with 249 lekë at Conad.
Despite these differences, the total basket price at all three supermarkets remained unchanged from the previous week, and none of the 11 products recorded a price change during that period, according to Krahaso.
Limited prices reported by other supermarket chains
Big Market and Extramarket have reported prices for only some of the selected products. At Big Market, Ferra Classic sugar costs 75 lekë and Floriol sunflower oil costs 219 lekë. At Extramarket, a pack of 10 Aiba eggs costs 180 lekë, while Floriol sunflower oil costs 199 lekë.
Krahaso emphasizes that its figures are based on prices submitted by the supermarket chains to the government platform, rather than direct measurements conducted in stores. According to the app’s methodology, reported prices apply to at least 80% of a chain’s stores, although individual outlets may charge different prices.
Earlier comparisons showed much larger gaps
An earlier analysis published by Monitor found a substantially larger difference when comparing a basket of 10 food products across supermarkets. SPAR’s basket was calculated at 1,412 lekë, while Conad’s reached 2,225 lekë — a difference of 813 lekë, or approximately 58%.
However, Conad questioned the comparability of some products, arguing that differences in brands, origin, quality and market positioning can affect prices even when products have the same weight and belong to the same category.
The company said that a fair comparison should use identical products wherever possible, or alternatives with equivalent quality and market positioning, measured in the same quantities and during the same period.
Government price transparency under scrutiny
The government’s price-monitoring platform began publishing food prices in mid-October and lists 238 products from five supermarket chains across 155 stores, including 109 in Tirana.
The data provide consumers with a tool to compare reported prices, but the findings also highlight the importance of checking product brands, package sizes and availability before drawing conclusions about which supermarket offers the best value.
For households facing everyday food expenses, even modest differences can add up over time. Transparent reporting and consistent comparisons remain essential for consumers seeking to make informed purchasing decisions.
| Product | Spar | Conad | Xhangolli |
Gjirofarm UHT Milk 1.5% 1 L | 180 | 195 | 185 |
Parmalat Milk 1 L (blue bottle) | 230 | 249 | 235 |
Aiba M Eggs, 10 pieces | 189 | 199 | 195 |
Prima Flour 1 kg | 99 | 99 | 105 |
Ferra Classic Sugar 1 kg | 69 | 69 | 70 |
Floriol Sunflower Oil 1 L | 199 | 209 | 209 |
Barilla Spaghetti No. 5, 500 g | 90 | 119 | 95 |
Lufra Cow Milk Yogurt 380 g | 65 | 65 | 65 |
Gjirofarm Cow Milk Yogurt 2.2% 910 g | 210 | 219 | 209 |
Fshatçe Plain Yogurt 450 g | 90 | 95 | 99 |
Lurpak Butter 200 g | 299 | 335 | 285 |
Total | 1720 | 1853 | 1752 |
Source: Krahaso, Albania’s Ministry of Economy and Innovation, and Monitor.