A video showing the cost of Indian grocery staples in London has gone viral on Instagram. In the clip, Delhi native Chavi Agarwal took her Instagram followers on a tour of an Indian grocery store in the British capital.
Agarwal, who lives in London, revealed the cost of Indian favourites like Lay’s Magic Masala and Little Heart biscuits in London. In many cases, she compared their retail price with how much the same items cost back in India.
For example, a packet of Lay’s Magic Masala sells for ₹20 in India. The same packet costs ₹95 in London, Agarwal said. A big pack of Maggi is similarly priced higher than in India, available for ₹300 at the London grocery store.
The 27-year-old woman said paneer costs ₹700 to buy in London, forcing her to cancel her plan of cooking matar paneer. “I will make chicken instead,” she says in the clip.
Perhaps the biggest mark-up in prices came in the section of fresh produce, where Agarwal found Alphonso mangoes being sold for ₹2,400 for six. Bhindi or okra, a staple in many Indian households, is available for ₹650 a kg in London. And karela (bitter gourd) was seen being sold for ₹1,000 a kg.
Take a look at the video below:
{{/usCountry}}Perhaps the biggest mark-up in prices came in the section of fresh produce, where Agarwal found Alphonso mangoes being sold for ₹2,400 for six. Bhindi or okra, a staple in many Indian households, is available for ₹650 a kg in London. And karela (bitter gourd) was seen being sold for ₹1,000 a kg.
Take a look at the video below:
{{/usCountry}}Since being shared on June 6, the video has amassed a staggering 5.8 million views on Instagram.
“London plan cancelled,” joked one person in the comments section. “Let’s open a karela business in London,” another quipped. “The English are still looting us,” a third person wrote.
“I'd never have the heart to buy those after looking at the price,” an Instagram user declared.
However, many people also pointed out that Agarwal had ignored purchasing power parity while making the video. “You earn in pounds and spend in pounds. Don’t say it’s expensive,” said a commenter.