Supermarkets update - what's the deal?
In an effort to cut food waste, Tesco announced on 16 October 2009 that they would be getting rid of all BOGOFS (Buy One Get One Free deals) and introducing a new 'Buy One Get One Free Later' initiative where customers could receive a voucher and get their free item at a later date. This will take effect in stores before Christmas, but Tesco couldn't tell us exactly when.
Prior to this change, Watchdog looked at Supermarkets and the way they use clever marketing techniques to entice customers to buy products - often spending more than they need to.
Recently, members of the Watchdog team bought some looked into some supermarket offers that weren't all they were cracked up to be. We found that some multi-pack deals actually worked out more expensive than the smaller and single items. When we showed these items to the organisation that represents the supermarkets - the British Retail Consortium, their Director General - Stephen Robertson said he thought they must be mistakes. So, Watchdog went shopping again. This time we found yet more offers that worked out more expensive.
While Tesco claims its new scheme aims to cut down on waste, they still seem to be encouraging bulk buying and sometimes charging consumers more in the process.
In the case of a tub of Vanish Oxi Action Plus from Tesco, the BIG VALUE PACK cost £10.56 for 1.5 kilos. But in fact it's cheaper to buy half a kilo for £3. So, not such great value after all. This was also the case with Tesco Gold Coffee. A 200g jar cost £2.79, at 14p per 100g, while 100g cost £1.39, at 14p per 100g, so it was 1p cheaper to buy two of the smaller jars.
Watchdog found that Tesco and Morrison's still had the same deals on offer that we highlighted first time around. Tesco sold a single can of dog food at 43p and then a multipack of six dog food cans at £2.70 (45p per can), making the single can 2p cheaper than if you bought the multipack. In Morrison's case, a pack of six Special K bars cost £1.50 (25p per bar), which was cheaper than a pack of 12 bars at £3.22 (26p per bar). The smaller pack of bars was 1p cheaper per bar than the larger multipack.
Asda, Sainsbury's and Waitrose had changed the prices on their mistakes but we still managed to find other offers that weren't so great.
From Asda, which has the slogan 'Saving You Money Every Day', Watchdog purchased a pack of nine Triple Velvet Soft toilet rolls at £4.62 (51p per roll), while a pack of four rolls cost £1.70 (42p per roll). It was 9p cheaper to buy a smaller pack.
In the case of Sainsbury's, they had altered the prices of kitchen roll from last time, but we found a 200g jar of JSainsbury's coffee costing £2.79, while a 100g jar of the same coffee cost £1.39, making it 1p cheaper to buy two of the smaller jars.
Waitrose was found to be selling a multipack of seven bags of Original Hula Hoops at £1.11 16p per pack), while a bigger multipack of twelve bags cost £2.03 (17p per pack). Again, it was cheaper to buy a smaller pack.
Statements:
Tesco did not respond.
On 26 Oct 2009, Sainsbury's said of their own Gold Roast Coffee:
"I have checked with the coffee buyer and the price of the 200g Sainsbury's Gold Roast Instant Coffee was an oversight. It is in the process of being changed and will be at a new lower price by the time your programme is broadcast on Thursday."
On 26 Oct 2009, Asda said of their toilet rolls:
"All our multi-pack products are clearly labelled with a unit price so customers can check at a glance what is the best value. We have nearly 50, 000 products in our store and sometimes mistakes can happen but if customers do notice any errors before we do, they should just tell the store manager who will get it amended."
On 26 Oct 2009, Morrisons said of their cereal bar promotion:
"The 6 pack of Special K bars were on promotion between 28th September and the 25th October, offering customers who purchase that size a good value deal for that specific period. The 12 pack of Special K bars were not on promotion and remain value for money even after the 6 pack promotion has finished. We display unit prices on our shelf edge label, allowing customers to make direct comparisons between various sizes of pack. We strive to offer our customers the best value for money at all times."
On 27 Oct 2009, Waitrose said of their Hula Hoop deal:
"Thanks for letting us know about this. We've reduced the price of our 12 pack Hula Hoops down to £1.80. This gives a 5% saving per individual bag for buying the larger multipack."
What do you think of Tesco's new BOGOFL initiative? Have you found that supermarkets' pricing is leaving you out of pocket? Have you spotted any more "mistakes"? Tell us what you think or send us your stories.
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The same thing happens at Tesco with Scwheppes tonic. Its cheaper to buy three individual bottles than a pack of three.
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Why should they "correct" the prices!? Shoppers should always check I think. Its good that you highlight this sort of thing - but its the way you report it that gets me. Nearly all Supermarkets have a comparison price on the shelves which helps you check - eg £ per Kg, £ per tin etc. This sort of thing has always gone on and of course in most cases the "Extra Value..." etc signs are printed on the products by the manufacturers. Some will be mistakes, others will be a con (perhaps). Also, did Watchdog see this on Own Brand products?
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Come on Watchdog - let's have something important, not more about people that can't do simple numeracy (it's not complicated enough to bre called maths)
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Tescos Baldock
Product - Yazoo Banana Flavoured milk 450ml, UHT milk that doesnt need chilling
On the normal shelf - 55pence per bottle
However, they now have it on the chiller shelf on special BOGOF - how nice I thought, til I saw the BOGOF price was 89 pence a bottle!
Shouldnt the bogof be on the 55 pence?
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Just saw Watchdog doing this bit on Tesco prices, and I don't see the problem. Anne Robinson announced with apparent disgust about 6 cans of Tesco pet food costing more than it would cost to buy 6 individual cans... but surely the extra packaging on the 6 cans could account for the extra cost? And in the case of perishable foods, surely it's a good move to encourage people to buy in smaller quantities to reduce food waste? Why is this story on Watchdog? It seems to me that if people are too stupid to add up the difference in price between a 500g box of something and a 1kg box of something, maybe they shouldn't be allowed to shop for themselves. Stick to the real issues, Watchdog!
-Q
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Sainsburys have an offer on Basic Cornish Pasties. 1 individually wrapped in cellophane pasty is 31p, 3 packed in a clear plactic box then in cellophane are 99p - hmm, bargain or not???
Marks & Spencer Newbury have also had energy salespoeple targetiing customers recently
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48 weetabix box in Tesco costs less / weetabix than the 72 box / weetabix
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Tesco own brand Classic Rich Roast Coffee 200g is £1.57, 100g is only 74p saving 9p by buying two small jars.
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Tesco store, Borehamwood on 26/10/09 were selling packets of their own brand of porridge oats. The 500g size was priced at 42p. Right next to it was a 1kg packet which was 'REDUCED FROM 99p TO 92p'
I know it's only 8p, but why should Tesco overcharge by nearly 10% and apparently get away with it.
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On 30th October 2009,Tesco Basingstoke advertised mini pineapples for 2 for £1.50, but they are 55p each. It just goes to show that they are still prepared to rip off consumers after being named and shamed on watchdog.
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This story is NOT new. Supermarkets have been doing this for years. All people have to do is check what they buy. Gullible people make an easy target. It has nothing to do with packaging as LordScree mentioned, if you want to save money and its cheaper to do so buy 6 cans of dog food individualy and put them in a carrier bag, if the carrier bag is still free. The cost some supermarkets Charge for a carrier bag should cause more of a concern. Or what about the supermarkets continued price hike on fuel this week? Why has`nt that made it onto Watchdog?
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I have just come home from Tesco Llansamlet Swansea,and i have found this multi buy error buy 3 mini pizza's for £1.30 or pay 39p each. Which works out at £1.17 for 3.This is for the cheese and tomato flavour.it also applies to the ham and pineapple,which is 43p each.
It might not be much but it still isn't right.ripping off there customers aint right.When I asked about this the assistant just shrugged his shoulders.
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I can kind of understand how frustrating this must be and how annoying it is that the supermarkets do this all the time, but its not really that difficult to do some simple mathematics and add up how much these things cost before you buy them.
I always check to see if i can find something cheaper or of better value whether it's on offer or not.
If a customer cannot take a few more minutes out of their shopping trip to compare prices then i think that is their fault for getting conned.
It only takes a little bit of working out.
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yesterday shopping in Tescos found Tesco Tea Bags 240 bags £3.47 offer buy 2 for £6.00. Two shelves below Tesco Tea Bags same box 480 bags £5.69. so with the offer you are paying 31p more
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Sainsburys are currently retailing a pack of 80 PG Tips teabags for the price of £2.21, but ALSO offering a 40 teabag pack for 95p !!
The 2nd 40 teabag pack contents will stay fresher longer than if part of an 80 teabag pack, AND save the buyer 31p.
So, the customer is actively encouraged to buy one pack of 40 !!
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If people bothered to do simple math then this wouldn't be an issue.
As for WHY larger packs are more expensive than smaller ones, the issue usually comes down to volume - if a supermarket sells 100 times more 1kg packs than 2kg packs they're going to get bigger price breaks on the 1kg item.
Tesco normally put the price per 100g or kg or each on the shelves with the pricetag, it's not difficult to scan along and work things out.
(My usual brand of catfood is currently 3 pounds/kg in 1kg bags or 4.50/kg in 3kg bags. Which one do you think I bought and why?)
Of more interest are 2 items of shopping psychology:
1: Actual placement of items on shelves is usually indicative of the profit margin. High profit items and the items they wish to shift most of at are middle height. Bargains are usually on the bottom shelf or the very top shelf.
2: Food smells - the smell of baking bread in particular is a well-known way of inducing shoppers to spend more wihtout realising it. (For the same reason - NEVER go grocery shopping while hungry!)
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[supermarket removed] in Walsall (Reedswood branch) have [product removed], 454g bottles at £2.29. The manufacturer has now reduced the size of the bottle to 354g, and the price remains the same. Both products are on the shelf together:
[URL removed]
Not so subtle price increasing!
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340g of Tesco's Light Choices Instant Dried Skimmed Milk has been on sale for at least the last few weeks in Abingdon at £1.69 standard price so far as I can see. The 198g tub (on another shelf) costs £1.79!
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[removed] in Crawley are selling [brand removed] strawberry [yoghurts] on offer at £1.50 each or 2 for £3...........even my 6 year old can figure out that that isn't a great deal!!
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never mind the bogof offers etc has anybody noticed that everytime [supermarket removed] promote 5pence off a litre of fuel they always put the price up then reduce it again when the offer finishes.seems to me like they're getting far to greedy![Unsuitable/Broken URL removed by Moderator]
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[removed] are going from bad to worse. [removed] Crunchy Nut Cornflakes 500g and 750g boxes are next to each other on the shelf - the 500g box costs £2.17 - the 750g box costs £2!!
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tesco harlow . flora buttery £1.49 per 500grm tub. 1kg extra value pack £3.18 . 20p dearer for the value pack, go figure.
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In Somerfield they have "The Co-Operative Mincemeat" (thats christmas mincemeat) a 822g Jar for £2.29 or a 411g Jar for 99p which makes it cheaper to buy 2 small jars than the big jar.
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I live on my own, so the big issue for me is 2 for 1 offers. I dont want 2 cabbages when one lasts me for a week. I particularly don't like 2 for 1 offers on already bagged produce, such as oranges and apples, where 2 bags might be a dozen or more fruits. I eat the same volume whether or not I buy a lot of one product or a mix of different products. It is more healthy to eat a smaller quantity from a wider range of of produce. [company removed] is the worst offender I have seen lately, with large numbers of 2 for 1, with a big mark up: like £2.50 for 2 but £1.50 for 1. I dont buy unless I actually want 2, and refuse the mark up on just 1 if it is significant. So they often lose my custom. I thought single person households are on the increase so a lot of people, both young and old, are disadvantaged - especially old people who don't eat so much.
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Sainsbury's Revive tie top bin bags - Kidlington, Oxfordshire.
20 - £1.84 - 9.2p per bag
40 - £3.90 - 9.8p per bag (2 x 20 = £3.68 therefore 22p cheaper than buying the 40).
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today at [removed], Dagenham - you can buy a 24 pack Weetabix for £1.50 or the double size 48 pack for £3.38.
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Up until 6 months ago I used to buy [removed] in the largest size (2 litre bottle) because of the convenience of one bottle to carry and the price. A 2 litre bottle costs from £4.47-£4.64 across the main supermarkets and a 1 litre bottle used to cost £2.72.
However [removed] then put the 1 litre bottle on offer to buy 2 for £4. Over the past few months the wording of the offer has changed, but the price saving has remained the same. At my most recent shop this week, the promotional labelling has gone, but the price still remains £2 a bottle with the 2 litre bottle at £4.47. According to a price comparison website, [removed] are currently matching this price.
This is especially disappointing as [removed] make big claims of their efforts to reduce packaging which I fully support. The supermarkets completely undermine this when instead of buying the 2 litre bottle that "now uses less plastic", I'm actually buying 2x1 litre bottles!!
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Well, they're still at it!!
[removed] Mini cheese and tomato pizza - advertised as special offer '3 for £1.30' but they are only 39p each hmmmm...? 3 x 0.39 = £1.17. So does that mean they charge you more at the check out?? you think you're getting a deal, but when you do the maths..? I've seen other offers just the same. they encourage you to buy more by advertising an offer for multi purchasing, but in actual fact you're saving nothing.
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I was shopping today at skegness tesco and the liquorice twists priced at 66pence per pack were advertised at buy three for £2.00 - good deal! not.
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