How to shave money off the price of razor blades
THE cut-throat world of razors is worth £25billion a year, with firms keen to exploit a captive audience forced to spend a small fortune for a close shave.
Yet most of us can easily slice our grooming bill in half simply by hunting down a special deal, switching to another razor – or even joining a shaving club.
The disposable razor was invented in 1901 by American travelling salesman King Camp Gillette. His firm Gillette now controls 60 per cent of the market. Wilkinson Sword has an 18 per cent share, while other major players include BIC and King of Shaves.
Success relies primarily upon multi-million pound advertising budgets often featuring celebrities to lure in customers. This is supported by introductory offers that include buying a razor at a discount.
The biggest costs come later when the blade blunts and it is time to buy a replacement that fits the same handle. These are sold as packs of razor cartridges that can incorporate ‘extras’ such as moving joints and soothing pads.
Major players such as Gillette invest more than £600million in research and development for each new design to ensure users get a smooth cut. But the cost of manufacture for each cartridge can be as little as 10p for an item that sells for £3.
Marc Gander, founder of The Consumer Action Group, says: ‘Shavers are ripped off. Rather than spending millions of pounds on slick advertising and selling razors with more blades than anyone ever needs, producers should focus on charging us less.’
SLASH THE PRICE WITH A DISCOUNT
DESPITE the high cost of popular razors, the quality of shave, convenience of purchase and brand loyalty mean people do not switch provider.
But if you keep a sharp eye on special promotions aimed at luring in new customers, you can easily save yourself £100 a year on the purchase of new razors.
Websites such as mySupermarket and HotUKDeals trawl high street stores and online shops in search of the best offers available. The discounts often only last a few days, so if you discover a deal it might be worth stockpiling. The companies often claim one cartridge lasts for three weeks, but dermatologists believe a cartridge should be used for no more than a week. The latest offers include the following. But such deals only have a limited life so act fast. A Gillette Fusion razor can cost £7.50 with one cartridge. A pack of four cartridges is £11.79 – £2.95 each. Asda has been selling a pack of four Fusion razors for just £6.
A Wilkinson Sword Hydro 5 with one cartridge can cost £8.59 but a pack of four spare blades sells for £9.99 – £2.50 each. A recent promotion at supermarket Tesco was offering a Hydro 5 with 12 blades for £9.50.
A King of Shaves Hyperglide razor with blade costs £9.99. It can be bought through King of Shaves with free postage for orders over £20. Nine blades cost £29.97 – £3.33 each – but a current special offer is priced at £19.99.
A BIC pack of ten disposables can be bought for £1.45. A luxury model such as Comfort BIC can cost £4 for four blades. Store B&M was recently selling a pack of four BIC Comfort razors for £1.99.
SWITCH TO A SAFETY RAZOR
THE traditional safety razor relies on technology introduced in the 1880s, based on a metal handle with a single replaceable blade.
You can invest anything from £20 to £200 in a safety razor. But unlike with a disposable most of the cost goes towards a handle you do not throw away. Rather than buy a cartridge that can cost more than £3, a razor blade might work out at 25p.
It means over a year you might spend £13 on fresh blades rather than as much as £175. So the original investment soon pays for itself.
The basic double-edge razor design has changed little in a century and many will recognise it as an instrument often used by their grandparents.
Dan Hildrew, manager at retailer The Shaving Shack, says: ‘People often feel intimidated by a safety razor, but it can be just as safe as any other razor.’
The handle tends to be metal and heavier than a plastic disposable and does not require users to apply the same pressure to cut. With a safety razor it is more important to follow the line of hair growth.
Safety razor makers to consider include Edwin Jagger, Merkur, Muhle, Parker and Taylor of Old Bond Street, London. Traditionalists often use a badger-hair brush costing from £20 to massage lather on to the skin.
Dealers in safety razors include The Shaving Shack, The Traditional Shaving Company and Executive Shaving.