This paper examines some methodological issues in the design and execution of food price surveys, and presents findings f r o m a recent survey o f fifty-eight grocery stores in the Cardiffarea. The methodology discussed includes the design of samples of goods to be surveyed (the 'shopping basket'), of shops in which grocery prices are t o be measured, and derivation o f the shop-price matrices t o be used in analyses of grocery pricing strategies. The empirical results show, as expected, significantly cheaper prices in multiple and co-operative stores compared with independent and affiliated. No significant difference is found between the latter categories of store. There is limited support f o r the hypothesis that the larger the store the lower the prices. Prices measured in the Cardiff area are also compared with average 'shopping basket' prices derived from a national survey carried out concurrently by the Consumers' Association. Finally, the value to the researcher of 'one-of7 price surveys is assessed.

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