Concerns regarding pricing practices at some convenience stores in Prague‘s city center have prompted an inquiry by headlinez.news. Following a reader tip, our team visited Green Mart on Na Poříčí street, a recently opened retailer specializing in attractively displayed, yet surprisingly expensive, fresh produce. While the store’s presentation stands in stark contrast to traditional czech supermarkets, a closer examination reveals pricing schemes-calculated per 100 grams-that raise questions about affordability and consumer transparency.
foto: Bára Richterová, PrahaIN.cz/Peeled pomelo in a store
Concerns over inflated prices at Vietnamese-owned convenience stores and other retailers in central Prague are not new, and these locations are often considered unsuitable for regular grocery shopping. Recently, attention was drawn to a shop on Na Poříčí street, immediately noticeable for its extensive fruit display. However, a closer look at the pricing reveals costs that may give shoppers pause.
“You frequently write about food prices, so you should check out Na Poříčí. Many people stop at the store because the fruit looks amazing, but when I saw the prices, I wasn’t sure if they were joking. I can’t understand who would buy it at that price, and I wonder how much they actually sell,” a reader recently wrote to our editorial team.
Following this tip, our team visited the store several days later. Green Mart is located near Bílá Labuť (White Swan). A sign in the window advertises “freshly opened,” likely referring to the store’s produce, with operating hours from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
During our visit, a small group of tourists were admiring the fruit displayed in refrigerated cases visible from the street. The presentation is striking, a stark contrast to what is typically found in Czech supermarkets. The store offers both common fruits and vegetables, alongside a wide variety of exotic options. All items are individually packaged in plastic, with some fruits already peeled or sliced. The remaining inventory doesn’t particularly stand out.
Price is per 100 grams, not per package
Inside the store, three customers – evidently a group of tourists – were also examining the fruit. We didn’t observe anyone else venturing further into the store to browse the other products. Even the tourists expressed surprise at the prices, but ultimately left with a container of strawberries, carefully calculating the exact amount needed before being informed of the final total, which was calculated per 100 grams, not for the entire package. Despite the cost, they proceeded with the purchase.
Prices were high compared to Czech averages. 100 grams of blueberries cost 69.90 Czech koruna, while raspberries were priced at 79.90 koruna. Blackberries were 109.90 koruna, and strawberries were 49.90 koruna. The strawberries originated from Belgium, the blackberries from the Netherlands, and the blueberries from Peru. Individual containers weighed approximately 300 to 400 grams.
However, even higher prices were charged for pre-peeled, sliced, and individually packaged fruit. A mango, for example, cost nearly 70 koruna for a few pieces, a kilogram of pineapple was 249.90 koruna, sliced papaya was 699.90 koruna, and dragon fruit reached 1,400 koruna per kilogram. Most packages indicated a “consume by” date of the same day we visited the store.
Peeling a pomelo is a hassle, but at that price…
The most shocking price was for pomelo. Typically, pomelos are available for under 100 koruna; for example, Lidl recently offered them for 49.90 koruna, or 34.90 koruna with a mobile app, and another Vietnamese convenience store had them for 79.90 koruna. A smaller pomelo weighs around a kilogram, with approximately 700 grams of edible pulp and the rest being rind.
However, this store was selling a kilogram of peeled pomelo for 559.90 koruna, with a few pieces on a tray costing around 250 koruna. “I understand that peeling a pomelo can be annoying, but no one can seriously afford to buy this,” commented a produce vendor on the outskirts of Prague.
The store indicates the fruit originates from Vietnam. Our team spoke with several individuals who frequently travel to Thailand, Vietnam, and Sri Lanka, where similarly peeled fruit is commonly sold on trays at nearly every corner. “A tray costs around 40 koruna in exchange rate,” said traveler Jana.
