I've noticed that since 2024-2025, the prices of organic coconut oils have skyrocketed at Carrefour and Leclerc. Is that normal or is it just a commercial scam? So I'm wondering if I should buy the cheaper ones or if there's actually a quality difference.
The real reason is mainly that you're not comparing the same products! A virgin coconut oil that's cold-pressed and certified organic is totally different from a deodorized or refined coconut oil with a little green logo. Supermarkets lump all of that together in the same category, so obviously the price difference seems crazy. Before you start yelling scam, actually check the product details - cold-pressed or not, where it's from, what kind of certification - and then you'll see you're not just paying for the packaging! That said, yeah, specialty retailers can save you a decent amount, but you still need to verify it's actually the same quality.
The price really depends on several things: maintaining organic certification is expensive, then you've also got harvest variations and import costs that keep changing. Between two organic bottles at the supermarket, the price difference usually comes down to packaging, the brand, or the distribution chain rather than an actual quality difference. If you want to save money without sacrificing quality, specialized health food stores or bulk buying are generally cheaper than Carrefour, even for organic. Honestly, unless one is really cold-pressed or has some special certification, the cheaper oils will do the job just fine.
You're right that it's gotten crazy, but before you rush for the cheapest option you should check where it's from and especially where you're buying it. Supermarkets massively overprice "organic" products because people think it's automatically better, but honestly you'd pay half the price at specialty shops or bulk stores. Also check small containers versus big ones - weirdly the cost per 100ml on a big bottle is sometimes less than on a small one. And honestly, between two certified organic oils, the quality is pretty much the same for cooking; what really matters is where it comes from and how long it's been sitting around before it gets to you.
Personally I buy straight from bulk suppliers at small organic shops and it's like 30-40% cheaper than the packaged brands in supermarkets, so yeah the big stores charge you extra for the premium packaging and the certification they paid a lot for too, but it's identical oil in the end. If I were you I'd check out specialty shops or co-ops, you'll see the prices are way less crazy and often better quality because they work direct with the producers.
It's not necessarily a ripoff, but you're seriously paying for the brand and packaging in supermarkets! The organic certifications and import costs do explain part of the markup, that's true, but supermarkets pile on their margin on top of that. What gets me is that the oil itself (if it's coming from the same supplier) can be identical between an 8€ bottle and a 15€ one, the difference is really just the brand label and fancy packaging! Try checking out specialist shops or local organic co-ops, often you'll find exactly the same thing for almost half the price.
One thing nobody mentioned: check the expiration dates on the shelf before you buy, especially for coconut oil. Supermarkets sometimes hold onto old stock and don't mark it down, so you could end up with oil that's been sitting in the warehouse for six months before hitting the shelf - that's also why certain "on sale" bottles are bizarrely stocked in huge quantities. Anyway, if you really want to save money without sacrificing quality, ask the staff directly if you can see the supplier labels - a directly sourced Indonesian certified organic oil costs half as much as a fancy packaged French brand, it's just that it doesn't have the same eye-catching label in store.
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