Panorama - tonight (Monday 5th)

raider

thor wrote: »

I missed the programme but would like to know if they reported on the bogof scam. The one where the MRP(another con) of an item is only used for an afternoon every leap year in the supe's branch situated in the outer hebrides AND during bogof promotions:mad:

Here you go thor:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b017yvfp/Panorama_The_Truth_About_Supermarket_Price_Wars/

terra_ferma

VfM4meplse wrote: »

Panorama is sensationalist, I am always disappointed whenever I tune in with the hope of learning something. They seem to be able to define the problem, but stop well short of offering solutions.

I disagree with this, the maths is comparatively simple. If nothing else, comments like this should encourage parents to ensure their kids pay attention at junior school.

Well done you, then, you must have worked out how to compare the price of a pack of 5 apples priced per units with loose ones price per kg per gram... or maybe you have all the time in the world, not kids running off etc and can weigh every single grocery item to find out the price per kg...?

An what about the 3 for 2 100g jars at £1.30 each, and 1 200g jar for £1.85 type of offer?

terra_ferma

Out of curiosity has anyone managed to worked out how to compare the cost of loo paper?
Square mt, sheets, rolls. If sheets are smaller the same sq. mt would give more sheets but fewer rolls and the other way round.

PS recently I was buying a special pack at a lower price, displayed with items on offer, then realised that the one not on offer, with identical packaging was bigger (more sq mt, sheets, or whatever). Obviously I left it, but you just can't trust anything, even if they look the same 9-roll packs.

dickydonkin

JDPower wrote: »

I think you missed the point somewhat


Oh no not DIRTY sawdust, how dare they not clean it first (sorry, just stood out to me )

Personally I've always found Morrisons by far the better shopping environment, maybe we're just lucky enough to have a good one

By virtue of its consistency, sawdust should not be used on a floor in a supposedly hygienic environment. Kids who walk on the floor who then get pushed in trollys has the potential for cross contamination.

Wind or draughts may also blow contaminated dust around the store. The water escaping from fridges is contaminated and dirty and when it is soaked into the sawdust, it just looks awful.

Akin to the old days when 'less celubrious' pubs or old fashioned butchers shops used the stuff to soak up spit and blood respectively.

Most supermarkets use hygienic absorbent booms to absorb fridge leaks or implement a preventative maintenance schedule to avoid leaks in the first place.

I am not suggesting other stores in the chain are as bad - but all I can base my opinions on is the branch in question and the problems may just be local management issues inherent to that particular outlet.

stewgreen

- This prog told us nothing we haven't known for years except that the presenter doesn't know much about shopping.

- Wow they sometimes price the convenient big pack that Mr Middle Class buy at rate more expensive per Kg than the smaller packs penny pinching pensioners are likely to buy.. it's their right.. it's not illegal ... it's how they serve 2 market profiles at the same time

- Often society has high expectations, we think we have the right to have all our thinking done for us.

- I am glad supermarkets use such exploitative techniques on careless shoppers, cos it means careful shoppers like me get a better deal. (If exploitative pricing was not allowed then lowest prices would rise .for profits to be maintained)

- BTW this Weeks BBC radio 4 excellent popular maths prog More Or Less explains how 2 different supermarkets can both have price matching baskets which are cheaper than each other at the same time http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/series/moreorless

raider

terra_ferma wrote: »

Out of curiosity has anyone managed to worked out how to compare the cost of loo paper?
Square mt, sheets, rolls. If sheets are smaller the same sq. mt would give more sheets but fewer rolls and the other way round.

PS recently I was buying a special pack at a lower price, displayed with items on offer, then realised that the one not on offer, with identical packaging was bigger (more sq mt, sheets, or whatever). Obviously I left it, but you just can't trust anything, even if they look the same 9-roll packs.

This is a tough one to figure out, especially in store, but I think quality and weight may be the key.

I used to buy tesco value kitchen roll, and although the quality has stayed the same, the price just keeps going up and up. I brought 6 huge rolls from adsa for £5 recently, thinking they were much better value than the tesco ones, but when I got them home, noticed the cardboard tube in the center was massive, twice the size of other brands. I took to weighing them and figured the cost/weight ratio was worse than the tesco value brand. Use the nicky brand from farmfoods now.

Have not tried this on loo roll yet, as I tend to only like triple velvet, when on a good offer of course

terra_ferma

stewgreen wrote: »

-
- Wow they sometimes price the convenient big pack that Mr Middle Class buy at rate more expensive per Kg than the smaller packs penny pinching pensioners are likely to buy.. it's their right.. it's not illegal ... it's how they serve 2 market profiles at the same time
...........................
- I am glad supermarkets use such exploitative techniques on careless shoppers, cos it means careful shoppers like me get a better deal. (If exploitative pricing was not allowed then lowest prices would rise .for profits to be maintained)

You make it sound like you deserve to pay less than other people, just because you are in a position of doing all the calculations yourself.

You are right to call these techniques exploitative because they take advantage of the fact that many people are not able to calculate multiple pricing for every item. It's not carelessness, in many cases it's people who are less able to do all the calculations because of age, mental ability etc, health, or because of time constraints (think of someone holding two low-paid jobs, a busy mum who doesn't have anyone who can look after her children while she shops etc). Without mentioning people with low literacy/numeracy because of an impairment like dislexia, learning disabilities, english as a second language, etc etc etc.

I'm sure there are many people who are just careless or lazy, but not all.

Lotus-eater

terra_ferma wrote: »

Well done you, then, you must have worked out how to compare the price of a pack of 5 apples priced per units with loose ones price per kg per gram... or maybe you have all the time in the world, not kids running off etc and can weigh every single grocery item to find out the price per kg...?

That really annoys me, even more now that Asda have removed all the scales in the shop, so you can't weigh anything yourself.

Pentagon

Especially with the bananas on that programme they did not say if tehre were compating like with like with packaged and loose. I try really hard to buy Fairtrade when I can, it does cost more BUT it is important to me that the people at the bottom of the chain are getting a fair wage. Things may be tight for me, but I imagine far worse for some banana harvesters.

geordie_joe

Lotus-eater wrote: »

That really annoys me, even more now that Asda have removed all the scales in the shop, so you can't weigh anything yourself.

You could go to the checkout and ask them to weigh it for you. If enough people did that they would bring the scales back.