Pound for pound, bargain shops aren’t always cheap

Dozens of items cost less at rivals

POUND shops are selling products priced 60% higher than at their supermarket competitors.

A Mirror probe found dozens of £1 products that appear to be bargains but can be bought for less elsewhere.

Poundland, Poundworld and Poundstretcher are also beaten on price on some items that cost more than a quid. The worst mark-up was on a box of 240 PG Tips for £3.99 at Poundstretcher but £2.50 at Iceland.

A four-pack of 35.5g Snickers bars are a quid at the bargain chain. At Asda a four pack is also £1 but the bars are bigger at 42g each. Gemma Godfrey, of moneysaving website moo.la, said: “It’s outrageous a store that claims to offer bargains is, in some cases, doing the opposite.”

Poundstretcher insisted: “We are not a single price pound shop but a discount variety retailer. We can always provide far more examples of where our products are the cheapest.”

Poundworld and Poundland also said they were cheaper than their rivals on thousands of lines.

BUDGET shops charging more for some items than supermarket competitors is a false economy for thrifty customers.

We need to rewrite an old piece of advice and realise if we take care of the pounds, the pennies will take care of themselves.