Star Ndlovu, a 28-year-old Zimbabwean who lives in SA, purchases groceries for his family at Shoprite in this country for R1,500. He considers that more reasonable than sending money home."In Zimbabwe there is the tendency to not accept [payment in] rand. Instead, you are told: ‘I want a dollar.’"The dollarisation of the Zimbabwean economy at around 2008 was a welcome change, as the local currency had struggled under its own weight. But the currency change has distorted the prices of goods for SA supermarkets in Zimbabwe.A till receipt from a Pick n Pay outlet in Zimbabwe shows that a 1kg packet of Irvine’s mixed chicken portions sells for US$5.69, equivalent to about R80. In SA a packet of mixed chicken portions weighing the same would cost about R35.85. "The rand-dollar exchange rate fluctuates, and prices are going up," says Ndlovu.Not only are Zimbabwean consumers battling high prices, but new regulations are threatening business for SA retailers. Restrictions that came into eff...
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