Supermarket Shopping Article Discussion

Former_MSE_Dan

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Supermarket Shopping: Slash the Cost of your Groceries article

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dillydilly

interesting article on the science of supermarket shopping, though I'm not sure the bread smell being pumped to the entrance isn't just an urban myth - please advise on any specific supermarkets known to do this and I'll happily be proved wrong... Now flowers at the front of store, that is more obvious. Provides the fresh scent, and lets face it who ever puts fresh flowers on the shopping list ? Definately an unplanned purchase

certainly is the case though that they position the breads, milks and butters at the far end of the store in most cases - sneaky !

Mind you, I tend not to be cynical about these methods. By 'skimming the market' (Value up to Finest) effectively the cheaper goods are being subsidised by the 'premium' goods - I love the fact that Mrs Bumbleton-Smyth in her black 4WD parked in the kiddies parking is subsidising my shopping with her fancy ready meals... :rotfl:
The supermarket sector is too competitive to allow any abnormal profits to be made, those huge profits that are made are being made seem to be to our benefit - provided they run under strict controls to ensure suppliers/workers are not being exploited

Chocolatelady

Watch out for specail deals particularly on chicken and recently pork.
Often you will see a special offer for chicken such as buy one get one free or buy two packs and save £5. Look carefully at the price per kilo! Check it against other packs and you will find that on the offer the price is higher than usual, sometimes a 1/3 more.

Pork at Sainsburys revcently was advertised as a special deal if bought in larger quantities but its price per kilo was more than the individual packs which are usually dearer.

I have reported this twice to Trading standards in two local councils who have not been helpful so I'm hoping that readers will take care and not get ripped off.

Another note about online price checking.

I checked out the price for 1kg of sugarpaste in Tesco and Sainsburys online and as Sainsburys was roughly the same price and only round the corner I went there to purchase it. When I got there the price was higher in the shop than online! How? Why? Was in a hurry so didn't query it. Double Check!

borderlakland

i agree with wot u r saying all of the supermarkets r banking on is most shoppers not checking prices/kilo etc jst being sucked in by the bogof offers i think u will find legally they r not doing nything wrong morally yes. i work 4 tescos and it is widely known that alot of these offers even though they may benefit some people(some offers r gr8) r purely there to get shoppers to spend more so as you rightly say read the offer check prices and check again

Snazbaz

Also watch out if you internet shop - my friends and I have noticed the supermarkets seem to be using it as an opportunity to off-load food that will very shortly be past its use by date.

For instance, Asda delivered 10 turkey slices to me this week as part of my internet shop, that had a use by date of the very next day. This practice by supermarkets has put me off internet shopping now. You can hardly keep the delivery driver waiting while you check the dates on every item of shopping.

If I'm shopping in person, I always grab the food at the back of the shelf as this usually has a longer shelf-life.

On another note, why do they always have to use so many carrier bags when they're delivering an internet shop? It's almost down to one item per bag!

borderlakland

good points made spcially about taking food from back of shelf we r always instructed to rotate stock when filling dnt no how other online ordering works but tesco have a section to add comments on any items ordered & you simply ask for longest date poss on fresh food.i've never had a prob but mayb i've just been lucky. tesco pollicy is that you can return all carrier bags to the driver to b recycled.better still shop instore use old bags boxes & get xtra points depending on haw many u use. do check the reciept as not all cashiers remember to add them on if they 4get go to cs & they will add them manually

Gilli_2

i used to work for a seafood company and three major supermarkets purchased from the same factory - same ingredients just different quality assurance specification -M&S wanted the most specification therefore costs were higher susequently passed onto consumer but exactly the same product!

flashman_62

I use this website to find supermarkets current offers...

http://www.madaboutbargains.co.uk/

Hapless_2

Sainsburys usually change their offers on a Tuesday

Phirefly

On the point regarding value branded products, I will share with you all my toppest tip - Tesco Value Cheesecake from the chilled cream cake section is undoubtably the greatest bargain ever. Everyone I've recommended this to agrees its gorgeous, it has no topping so you can add your own fruit and make it really special. I like to use blueberries best, either as they come or reduced down into a compote with water and sugar. Perfect.

trubster

The comparison site is really cool, My shop at ASDA is £70.18 and at runner up there is Sainsburys, YES! Sainsburys at 98.82 (Cheaper than Mr T) and Waitrose in 3rd place at £101.16 and last is Tesco at 103.85!!! I cant believe the difference! Since Tesco abolished R+R I have shopped elsewhere and told them to shove there 1p per pound up there a**e and got a taxi at £3 more than it used to cost to Tesco and went to ASDA instead! I am saving about £40 a week!

Unbelievable!