GET SAVVY WITH YOUR SHOPPING

Sometimes ingredients differ but, most of the time, when you go for a brand you’re just paying for packaging. We’ve enlisted the experts to reveal the best bargains in the supermarket

HEAD DOWN THE ‘WORLD FOOD’ AISLE

“Try looking for herbs in the World Food aisle,” suggests Moneysavingexpert.com’s Sally Francis. “Products like dried herbs, tinned tomatoes and coconut milk are cheaper here. The branding is different and the packets are larger.” KTC coconut milk from Sainsbury’s (from the World Food aisle) is 25p per 100ml compared to Sainsbury’s own brand, which costs 36p per 100ml.

MIND THE CLEANING PRODUCT MARKETING

“Always buy bleach and household cleaners from the basic aisle,” advises Moneymagpie’s Jasmine Birtles. “Don’t be taken in by marketing either – ‘bathroom’ and ‘kitchen’ cleaner do the same job.” One thing not to scrimp on though? Toilet roll. “In a recent MSE poll, most people said cheaper toilet paper didn’t work – the quality was poor,” says Sally. Don’t say we didn’t warn you…

IGNORE ‘WELL KNOWN’ WINES

According to TV wine expert Amelia Singer, you can get fantastic wine for a snip (hurrah!). She says: “Go for grapes or styles from not such well-known regions, so demand isn’t as high. Southern Rhône red can be expensive from Châteauneuf-du-pape, so try Rasteau instead (Cellier de Monterail, Rasteau, France, 2015, Lidl, £7.99). Supermarket own-label wines are great too, because they’re chosen carefully to represent their brand – try Waitrose Crisp and Floral Dry Italian White, £4.99.”

PICK WONKY VEG

Fruit and veg is priced according to “class” and products are classed in a lower category because of the way they look. “Don’t pay more for ‘pretty’ veg,” says Sally. “Buying wonky versions at cheaper prices won’t make a difference to your meal.” Don’t go for pre-chopped veg ,either – Tesco’s mini carrots are £3.13 per kg compared to 60p per kg for regular carrots.

GO OWN-BRAND ON NON-PERISHABLES

Couldn’t live without Heinz ketchup or beans? Think again. “I can’t tell the difference between own-brand and Heinz baked beans – the same goes for tins of tomatoes, pasta, rice, sugar and flour,” says Jasmine. The savings are substantial too – a four-pack of Sainsbury’s baked beans is £1 (63p per kg) compared to a four-pack of Heinz for £2 (on offer), which works out at £1.21 per kg.

GRAB A CHEAP TREAT!

Love designer candles? Aldi has launched a luxury range (priced at just £3.99) to rival Jo Malone (which start at £44), winning over experts and shoppers alike. Pick from Pomegranate Noir, Freesia & Pear, Lime or Basil and Mandarin.