Food Lover's Market Oil: Olive, Sunflower and Canola Compared and How to Read the Small Print

Quick answer: We found no verified Food Lover's Market oil prices, so we quote none; the only price we saw was two litres of sunflower oil at R59.99 at Checkers in a January 2024 Mail & Guardian survey, which is out of date and about another retailer. Oils differ in price, flavour and smoke point: extra-virgin olive oil suits dressings and gentle cooking, while refined sunflower and canola oils suit frying. Compare price per litre, read the label for oil type and origin, and store oil in a cool, dark cupboard.

Last updated: October 2026. The R59.99 figure comes from a Mail & Guardian survey of January 2024 seen in search results. Worked numbers are invented.

Background: choosing among oils

Walk down the oil aisle and you find sunflower, canola, olive, vegetable blends, coconut, avocado and more. They differ in taste, nutrition and use. Sunflower oil is the traditional South African frying oil. Canola is similar, with a neutral taste. Extra-virgin olive oil, pressed from olives without chemical refining, has a distinct flavour and contains antioxidants, but costs more. Light olive oil is refined and milder.

The small print matters. "Vegetable oil" may be a blend of several oils whose composition can change with the market. "Cold-pressed" suggests minimal processing. "Extra virgin" has a legal definition in some markets but check origin and harvest date. A dark bottle protects oil from light. Price per litre allows you to compare across sizes. The 2024 survey figure, about R30 per litre for sunflower oil at one retailer then, is a reminder that old numbers age quickly. If the Food Lover's Market offers are not quite what you need, it is worth comparing them with the latest Pick n Pay catalogue before you decide.

Comparing and using

On invented numbers: sunflower oil, 2 litres at R78, is R39 per litre; canola, 2 litres at R88, is R44 per litre; extra-virgin olive oil, 500 ml at R120, is R240 per litre; avocado oil, 500 ml at R150, is R300 per litre. If you use 1.5 litres of cooking oil and 0.2 litres of olive oil a month, you spend about R58 on sunflower oil and R48 on olive oil, or R106 a month. Switching all cooking to olive oil would cost about R360, so using the right oil for each job saves money.

Use olive oil for dressings, dips and low-heat cooking. Use refined sunflower or canola for frying and roasting at higher temperatures. Keep a small bottle of olive oil for finishing. Measure with spoons, use sprays for light coating and choose cooking methods that need less oil. Store all oils in a cool, dark cupboard with the lid tight, and use opened bottles within about six months for olive oil and three to six months for others. Discard oil that smells rancid. Never leave hot oil unattended; if it catches fire, cover with a lid and turn off the heat, never use water. Dispose of used oil in a sealed container in the bin, not down the drain.

Oil (invented)	Pack	Per litre
Sunflower	2 litres at R78	R39
Canola	2 litres at R88	R44
Extra-virgin olive	500 ml at R120	R240
Avocado	500 ml at R150	R300

Consumer tips and cautions

Under the Consumer Protection Act, prices must not mislead and goods must be of good quality; check seals and best-before dates and return spoiled products with your slip.

Beware of scams that advertise cheap oil in bulk via social media for upfront payment, and of fake olive oil, which is a known problem in global markets; buy from reputable retailers. Never share one-time PINs or card details. Seed-oil allergies are rare but possible; read labels.

Keep a price diary, compare unit prices and buy when your preferred oil is on a genuine special. Using the right oil for each task is the surest way to keep both cost and flavour in balance.

Think about balance in your kitchen. Having two or three oils, each for a purpose, is enough: a neutral oil for frying, extra-virgin olive oil for dressings and a small bottle of something special such as sesame or avocado oil for finishing. Use smaller bottles of the expensive ones, since they spoil before you finish a large bottle. Label them with the date you opened them. Check the shelf label price per litre when you buy, and compare with other stores. Over a year, thoughtful choices can reduce your oil bill and improve the taste of your food without much effort.

Frequently asked questions

What do oils cost at Food Lover's?

We could not verify prices; check the shelf labels.

Which oil is best for frying?

Refined sunflower or canola, which have high smoke points.

How should I store oil?

Cool, dark and tightly closed.

Sources

• Mail & Guardian cooking oil survey, January 2024 (as seen in search results)
• Consumer Protection Act; general cooking-oil guidance