Spar - Bread Extortion!

scubaangel

Same as most things its economies of scale, most C-stores are privately owned and simply 'buy' the branding be it Spar, Nisa, etc that gives them access to the retail order systems of their brand which operate the same way as most cash and carries, the more you order the bigger the discounts for each store. Smaller stores = smaller discounts = higher prices compared to the supermarket sector stores (by which I mean the likes of Tesco Express and Sainsburys Local)

hermum

OP breadmakers are often offered on freecycle & at car boot sales & charity shops there are generally some for sale for a few quid.
Spar is a convenience shop, so you do pay extra for the convenience.
I have one a few doors away from me, I use it quite a lot, as it's cheaper than driving to a supermarket if I only need a couple of things. I tend to just get what I need, as well, so much cheaper than Sainsburys where I would normally shop.
The co-ops I've been to recently don't automatically give a receipt, I assume it's an environmental earth saving feature rather than a conspiracy, but you never know.
If you've not tried baking your own bread, it's definitely worth a go. Or find a co-op with instore bakery, evenings our local one reduces the large loaves down to about 15p.