SUPERMARKET SWEEP
There’s no doubt that food prices are expensive. But are you getting the most out of your money? How can we save on our shopping?
Pushing your trolley down the aisle of your chosen supermarket, are you thinking about what you’re chucking in? Picking up a bag of sugar, you can’t remember if there’s already some in the cupboard.
And you’re sure you saw that the carrots were cheaper in another store.
But it’s fine – a multipack of salt and vinegar crisps are on offer, so at least you have that.
When we’re busy or in a rush, it can be so easy to not really think about what we’re putting into our baskets.
And when we are not thinking, seeing the receipt at the end can come as a bit of a shock.
But for many adults in the UK, food is noticeably more expensive now.
In January this year, four in 10 adults reported having to spend more than usual on the food shop to get what they normally buy, according to a survey by the Office Of National Statistics (ONS).
And despite food inflation falling from 6.1% to 5%, according to database of consumer buying behaviour NIQ, the cost of food is still having an effect on families.
In January, an ONS survey found that 49% of adults said their cost of living had increased – of these people, 91% said one of the reasons for rising costs was higher food shopping prices.
But how can we cut back on shopping costs? ‘Budget supermarkets like Aldi and Lidl are normally the frontrunners in terms of price and are a great place to start if you’re looking to cut back your shopping bill,’ advises Liz Hunter, commercial director at Money Expert. ‘However, splitting your food shop across several different stores can allow you to maximise discounts and save even more money.
‘Aldi and Lidl will normally offer the best price for everyday essentials, but specific deals on certain items at bigger supermarkets like Tesco, Asda or Sainsbury’s could temporarily offer a cheaper deal. In this case, you could stock up on that particular item – especially if it’s tinned, canned or freezable – to save money long-term.
‘You might find that some
Fourin10 adultsspend morethan usualontheir foodshops
specialist stores offer better deals on specific items.
‘Iceland often has multi-buy deals on, which can sometimes make certain frozen items cheaper than they would be at Aldi or Lidl.
‘International supermarkets often offer a great price when bulk buying foods like legumes, lentils and grains – often even cheaper than budget supermarkets.’
This way of shopping is incredibly beneficial if you have the time.
But with kids, jobs and busy lives, not a lot of us do actually have the time or resources to visit multiple different shops each week.
‘The cost of petrol and bus fares to get to these stores should also be taken into consideration, as any small savings may be lost in the extra travel,’ adds Liz. ‘And some of the bigger supermarkets like Tesco price match a lot of produce with Aldi, too, so you may even get the same deal without having to travel to different stores.’
Liz recommends doing one big shop over multiple smaller ones, too – so make sure you always plan ahead.
‘Planning what you’ll eat for the week ahead is absolutely key to a budget-friendly food shop,’ she says. ‘It allows you to create a targeted shopping list, reducing impulse purchases and preventing food waste, too.
‘This not only saves you money on unnecessary items but also ensures you’re buying exactly what you need, preventing costly last-minute trips to the shop.’
Of course, we should make the most of the food in the discount aisle, too – look out for those yellow labels.
‘You’ll typically find the best selection in the evenings from 6pm onwards, though it does vary between stores,’ says Liz. ‘Many items are suitable for freezing, extending their use long after purchase.’
And now you can also use handy apps like OLIO to pick up reduced supermarket food
Planning ahead is key to a budgetfriendly shop