KEY POINTS:
New World has been given the thumbs-up in the latest supermarket satisfaction survey, while Pak'n Save failed to impress shoppers.
The results of the survey appear in the latest edition of Consumer Magazine. Nearly 8000 respondents gave ratings on the range of goods, queuing times, customer service, store presentation, layout, and their overall shopping experience.
Pak'n Save, which tops the magazine's lowest-price surveys nationwide, rated below average in all four categories - product range, queuing times, helpful staff and shopping environment.
And for overall shopping experience, Pak'n Save shared the lowest ranking with Foodtown.
The main complaint with Pak'n Save was the limited range of sizes and brands. But the article's author, Bev Frederikson, says it's this limited range that allows the supermarket to order larger quantities of products and cut better deals with suppliers than their competitors.
Pak'n Save's policy of not providing free plastic bags was commended.
At the other end of the scale, New World rated above average in all four categories. "Clean, efficient, high turnover of goods resulting in excellent quality, most helpful, co-operative staff, excellent layout."
Of the main supermarkets, New World topped the list for overall shopping experience with 87 per cent of respondents rating their experience as "good" or "very good".
Four Square was slightly ahead at the number one spot, but only had a very small number of respondents.
Pak'n Save shared the lowest overall shopping experience ranking with Foodtown with 73 per cent of respondents rating their experience as "good" or "very good".
The article noted that respondents felt that Countdown, which competes on price with Pak'n Save, carried a wider product range. But along with Foodtown and Woolworths, it fell down on queuing times.
Foodstuffs NZ managing director Tony Carter told the Herald yesterday that the results were what he expected.
"Obviously Pak'n Save gets marked down because it does have a limited range, but we make no apologies for that because that allows them to deliver the lowest prices."
WHO'S WHO?
Progressive Enterprises
Foodtown, Woolworths, Countdown, Fresh Choice, SuperValue.
Foodstuffs
New World, Pak'n Save, Four Square.
Supermarket ratings (main supermarkets only):
COUNTDOWN
Product Range, Shopping Environment: average
Queuing Times, Helpful Staff: worse than average
FOODTOWN
Product Range, Shopping Environment: average
Queuing Times, Helpful Staff: worse than average
NEW WORLD
Product Range, Queuing Times, Helpful Staff, Shopping Environment: better than average
PAK'N SAVE
Product Range, Queuing Times, Helpful Staff, Shopping Environment: worse than average
WOOLWORTHS
Product Range, Helpful Staff, Shopping Environment: average
Queuing Times: worse than average
Overall Shopping Satisfaction (ranking):
1 - Four Square
2 - New World
3 - SuperValue
4 - Fresh Choice
5 - Woolworths
6 - Countdown
7 - Foodtown/Pak'n Save
