I am delighted to be able to assure Mr John G Smith that his grocery bill need not increase due to his no longer being able to shop at KwikSave.

A pricing of a random ten commonly-bought items in KwikSave, Waitrose and Morrisons produced basket prices of £9.80p, £9.47p and £9.49p respectively. On occasion, Waitrose points out that its prices for branded goods are no higher than other supermarkets. Indeed, my wife and I can confirm some prices at Waitrose are quite often lower than at its competitors' shops.

Regarding the closure of the Droitwich KwikSave, Mr Smith appears to believe that this is due to factors local to Droitwich. In fact, both KwikSave and its owner Gateway/Somerfield has been in financial difficulties for some years.

Somerfield's latest owners have grasped the nettle vigorously. All the KwikSave stores that Somerfield's previous management could not convert to the Somerfield format and that no other food chain now wants to buy are being closed. Surely that is why KwikSave is becoming a dog-food store?

John Stanley

Westwood Close,

Droitwich.