'Why BOGOFs stop me buying tangerines…' Blog discussion

roddycam

I've recently become very careful about buying BOGOFs for the reasons above, but also "buy x for the price of x" offers, not just on food but on clothes etc. because I realised I was going above my budget. Real MSE's stick to what they have to spend!

MarkyMarkD

The whole logic of this is wrong.

If you want one bag of satsumas, buy one bag of satsumas. It's irrelevant if you can have a second one for free. Not buying any just because you don't want two makes no sense - JUST BUY ONE!

bbaby_2

My mum sometime goes shopping with her friend and when they come across these BOGOF offers, they buy them and split the cost, so they each only pay half the price.

cathodetube

bob_a_builder wrote: »

I'm with Gary on this one, I get through loads of them, is too much Vitamin C dangerous I wonder :rolleyes:
I keep them in the fridge, just 'cos I like them chilled, seem to stay juicy for quite a while in there
+ so much better than Oranges, gave up on them years ago, could never get a juicy one compared to Sats or Mands

Yes, keep them in the fridge, all fruit except bananas lasts longer that way. I am surprised when I see people with festering fruit in their fruit bowl going brown. Tomatoes should be kept out of the fridge if you are going to eat them soon as they don't have any flavour if they are cold.

Shytalker

I also reject most BOGOFs for the same reason as Martin.

But there is another ethical one. I've read somewhere that supermarkets screw their suppliers into providing BOGOF deals at single item prices (if that makes sense). That isn't fair and, in these increasingly immoral times, I try to do the right thing.

mentat72

Given the shortness of money and increasing price of food products, it is about time that the supermarkets stopped some of the BOGOFs and changed them to 1/2 price offers instead.

This may of course not be feasable as they are buying at a bulk rate and still making more 'giving 50% away'. But the BOGOF approach encourages waste and rubbish - so no one really wins unless you can consume that much product. By halving the prices the consumer would still get pricely the same deal but would only need to purchase what they required as opposed to what you need to buy to meet the offer.

TESCO for one are obsessed with green credentials currently, so it makes sense for them to make this move from a PR perspective.

Badger_Lady

I went to Tesco last night and bought a bag of half-price tangerines! Happy Badger, no waste this week...

MarkyMarkD

People need to have some responsibility for their own actions.

When you buy loose fruit and vegetables, it's up to you to choose a quantity you'll eat whilst they are still fresh.

It's no different if they are packaged or packaged AND BOGOF - nobody's making you take more than you need.

Anyone who takes extra items, simply because they are BOGOF, is stupid and wasteful.

And anyone who refuses to buy something simply because it's BOGOF and they only need one, is illogical.

All that matters, at the end of the day, is whether you think the items are worth what they are priced at. If they are, then buy the one you actually need and leave the one you don't need and won't use on the shelf. You haven't lost anything by failing to take the unnecessary item - you've simply preserved the world's resources and left the item for someone else to buy.

Badger_Lady

^ Definitely agree with your theory - but when it comes to shopping there's a huge psychological/emotional element (often taken advantage of by retail planners), and the mind of your typical MSE will resent only getting half of their entitlement.

It doesn't matter that the price you've paid is the same as usual, and that picking up the second bag would be wasteful - you feel that you're leaving something behind that you've paid for (which, effectively, you are)!

When you spend your entire adult life looking out for bargains and special offers, you don't want to pay full price unless absolutely necessary. And what you're talking about is choosing to pay full price instead of half.

moneypooh

If you get BOGOF fruit offers, take them and give them to your local primary school. It helps them teach children about fruit and they can give them to children in their breaks.
Our local school is most appreciative for any freebies, especially healthy ones!!