The European Consumer Centre’s Network carried out a price comparison of certain Zara, H&M, C&A and Body Shop products in different countries. 27 countries were included in the comparison. Prices of three items for women and two for men were determined in each store chain.
The results were influenced by the factor that the chains are not present in all the countries involved. Furthermore, the store selections differ by country, which means that all the items were not available in all the stores.
According to the results, the main outcome is that the variation in prices is relatively small. It should be noted, however, that the results for Portugal stood out clearly, with all the products included in the comparison being less expensive than the average price. This can be seen, for example, in H&M and Zara jeans, which were ten euros cheaper than the average price. Cosmetic products were also, on average, three euros less expensive than in the other countries of comparison.
Shoppers are bound to be charged the highest prices in Denmark, Norway, Finland and Sweden. Sweden is an exception among the Nordic countries in one aspect: the price of H&M products is below the average.
The price differences between the countries do not directly indicate the general price levels in these countries. A single item may carry a lower price tag in a given country, but this does not automatically mean that shopping would be, overall, less expensive in that country.
Comparative table