A new shopping basket' survey in the Irish Republic has raised questions about how seriously the multiples are competing with each other on prices for general grocery products. The survey, which comes less than two months after the own label price war initiated by Tesco, found that on a basket of 30 staple products, there was almost no variation between its prices and those of its two main rivals, Dunnes Stores and Superquinn. "Amazingly, the total price difference between the three on the basket of 30 items was just 14p-20p," said Derek Jewell, chief executive of the Consumers' Association of Ireland. "They're either watching each other very closely or they aren't really competing with each other at all." The survey, a government initiative to monitor food prices in the fight against rising inflation, was conducted by the office of the consumer affairs director, Carmel Foley, in conjunction with the Consumers' Association. Store prices on the 30 products were checked in 10 different centres, including Dublin, Cork, Galway and Kilkenny. Tesco's lowest price for the basket, at a store in Dublin, was £45.16, with a Dunnes outlet in the city charging £45.25 and Superquinn £45.27. Outside Dublin, the price variation between the chains was greater, though still relatively small. The survey is to be conducted on a regular basis, with the results publicised for the benefit of consumers. Jewell, who has already criticised Tesco's own label price war as a "marketing gimmick", said that should the next report show the multiples were still charging virtually the same prices, there would be scope for action by the director of consumer affairs. "She could send the report to the Competition Authority and ask it to investigate the real level of competition between these chains," he suggested. {{NEWS }}