Food prices

[jon0844]

I like the Aldi equivalent to McCoy's also, but the regular Aldi crisps are incredibly bland. I just don't buy any 'regular' crisps, which is probably good for multiple reasons! If Aldi can get something similar to Walkers then I'd snap them up!

 

[Gloster]

When it comes to a choice between own brand and well-known names my principle is simple: is it £x better? If I think the well-known name tastes that much better after it has undergone my tender ministrations in the kitchen, I will buy it. If not, which is quite common with my culinary skills, I will buy the own brand. It should be noted that better also includes how healthy the ingredients are.

 

[ChrisC]

I like the Aldi equivalent to McCoy's also, but the regular Aldi crisps are incredibly bland. I just don't buy any 'regular' crisps, which is probably good for multiple reasons! If Aldi can get something similar to Walkers then I'd snap them up!

I’ve only ever had Aldi regular crisps once and never again. To me they were the worst crisps I have ever had. I actually find Co op crisps very good if you can find a store that has them in. Far cheaper than Walkers and if you get some really fresh ones equally as good.

 

[Baxenden Bank]

When it comes to a choice between own brand and well-known names my principle is simple: is it £x better? If I think the well-known name tastes that much better after it has undergone my tender ministrations in the kitchen, I will buy it. If not, which is quite common with my culinary skills, I will buy the own brand. It should be noted that better also includes how healthy the ingredients are.

I would say the same applies to the increase in price / quality from 'basic' to 'ordinary' to 'premium' products, be they well known brands or supermarket own brands. For example (and an unhealthy one), is one premium sausage roll (say £2.50) twice as good an ordinary one (say 2 for £2.50 / half the price) or 10 times better than basic ones (say 10 for £2.50 / one tenth of the price per roll?

I assume there is an increase in quality but have no real way of assessing it, but I guess the increase in quality isn't as great as the price increase. Some people will buy the cheapest as that is all they can afford, others will go for the most expensive because they can afford it and assume it is that much better because it costs that much more.

I’ve only ever had Aldi regular crisps once and never again. To me they were the worst crisps I have ever had. I actually find Co op crisps very good if you can find a store that has them in. Far cheaper than Walkers and if you get some really fresh ones equally as good.

I tried Tesco own brand crisps and found them less satisfactory than Walkers. Very similar to Golden Wonder crisps. Tesco also have their own named brand, which escapes me, but I haven't tried those.

 

[jon0844]

Yes the cheap Tesco crisps are as bad as the Aldi ones IMO. Probably made by the same company.

You do have to experiment a bit, and rather than try and find something cheaper that tastes the same as your previous brand favourite, consider if it is nice in its own right.

 

[Silver Cobra]

I tried Tesco own brand crisps and found them less satisfactory than Walkers. Very similar to Golden Wonder crisps. Tesco also have their own named brand, which escapes me, but I haven't tried those.

That named Tesco brand would most likely be T. E. Stockwell, which I believe is simply their old Value/Everyday Value brand with a fancy name. Both Tesco and Sainsbury's decided a few years ago to drop their (Everyday) Value and Basics lines and use these 'named brands' in their place, to remove some of the stigma of the former lines. T. E. Stockwell appears to be the main name Tesco uses for their Value 'food cupboard' product lines, so appears on things like tinned food, crisps and dry snacks.

 

[Baxenden Bank]

That named Tesco brand would most likely be T. E. Stockwell, which I believe is simply their old Value/Everyday Value brand with a fancy name. Both Tesco and Sainsbury's decided a few years ago to drop their (Everyday) Value and Basics lines and use these 'named brands' in their place, to remove some of the stigma of the former lines. T. E. Stockwell appears to be the main name Tesco uses for their Value 'food cupboard' product lines, so appears on things like tinned food, crisps and dry snacks.

Yes, that's the one. Sits alongside the farm name for fruit and vegetables - Rosedene Farms. There are probably others.

 

[Typhoon]

Yes, that's the one. Sits alongside the farm name for fruit and vegetables - Rosedene Farms. There are probably others.

Indeed, Ms Molly's for cake, biscuits (and probably other items). They sell H.W. Nevill's bread exclusively so maybe that is the same. Creamfields (dairy), Eastman (cold meat). Some PR people have far too much time on their hands. In most cases, you look at the label and they look like discount products.

Rosedene cause some controversy when first introduced:-

Tesco has comes under fire for a new range of "farm" foods - because all the farms named on the packaging are entirely made up.

Willow Farms whole chicken, Boswell Farms diced beef, and Rosedene Farms blueberries were all found to come from manufacturers with no relation to the names on the packaging of the final product.

Some of the foods were imported from overseas and given British names to make them sound local.

Farmers Weekly, a trade magazine, did a spot check at Acre Lane Tesco in Brixton and recorded the origins of products that had been given British-sounding farm names:

Rosedene Farms – apples (UK), pears (Belgium), strawberries (Spain), blueberries (Chile)

Boswell Farms – beef products (UK, Republic of Ireland)

Willow Farms – chicken (100% UK)

Redmere Farms – sprouts (UK), mushrooms (Holland), carrots (UK), parsnips (UK), spinach (Italy, Spain), spring greens (UK), cabbage (Spain), onions (UK), new potatoes (UK), sweet potatoes (US)

Nightingale Farms – celery (Spain), cherry tomatoes (Spain, Morocco)

Woodside Farms – pigmeat products (UK, Holland, Denmark, Germany, “EU”)

Suntrail Farms – imported fruit such as oranges, lemons, avocados

Only Boswell chicken was found to be 100 per cent British and featured a Union Jack prominently on the label to signal this to consumers.

Advertising agencies say that British sounding names and rural, historic or nature references are reassuring to shoppers.

Tesco said the products are sourced from a selection of farms and growers, from small, family-run farms to large scale operations, that meet their standards.

I don't know if all still exist but some of the availability in winter isn't fooling anyone.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/...redmere-made-up-fictional-farms-a6949801.html

 

[GusB]

Yes, that's the one. Sits alongside the farm name for fruit and vegetables - Rosedene Farms. There are probably others.

"Creamfields" is the brand they use for dairy produce - a name I associate more with 90s clubbing!

One thing I have noticed is that beef seems to be very expensive. I went to Aldi this morning to buy something for Christmas dinner and, as I'm not a massive fan of turkey, I thought it'd be nice to have roast beef for a change. A very small bit of silverside was around the £11 mark, and I mean small. If it had been double the size I'd still have viewed it as expensive, but I probably would have grudgingly paid it. I simply couldn't justify spending that amount on something that would do for one meal with only a tiny bit left over, bearing in mind that it would shrink in the oven.

I bought a pork joint instead - double the weight and half the price.

 

[Mojo]

I’m pleased to say Sainsbury’s have reduced the price of their toastie bread from 90p to 85p. Still a huge increase from the 55p only a few months ago.

 

[Ken X]

Easy Peelers are getting expensive at the Co-op

 

[Silver Cobra]

Easy Peelers are getting expensive at the Co-op

I can do one better there. When myself and a colleague were updating the price labels in our chilled meat-free section yesterday, we had one label print out that was a big oddity, which we only spotted when we had put the label on the shelf. The price listed for the item was around what was expected at £3, but the price-per-kilo was listed as £11,111.11. So that item would have to weigh 0.27 grams for that to be accurate I regret not taking a picture of the label at the time, but when I visit the store again on Friday, if that label is still there I'll grab a snap of it.

**EDIT: I did visit the store again today, and while the label had been changed since Wednesday, I can't say the new label is much of an improvement.



The picture shows a shelf label where, while the product is correctly listed as £2.50, it's price-per-kilo is nearly £9,300.

 

[Trackman]

update: re: 2 Birds Eye Sticky BBQ Chargrills - From £1.80 to £2.79.

Fancied getting some in for Christmas.
Shock horror.. jumped from £1.25 to £2.75.
No thank you Asda... tarrah.

Update 3:
This week back down to £1.25 (You have to buy 4 though)
Going to stock up.

 

[malc-c]

Noticed that ASDA chicken breasts used to be £4.40, £6.40 depending on weight. On Friday the prices were rounded up to £5 or £7 respectively !! Heinze soups are now £1.70 a tin or mix and match any 5 for £6.00. What was also evident was the amount of empty shelves, with no own brand of wholemeal bread, and just a few boxes of eggs.

 

[ChrisC]

Noticed that ASDA chicken breasts used to be £4.40, £6.40 depending on weight. On Friday the prices were rounded up to £5 or £7 respectively !! Heinze soups are now £1.70 a tin or mix and match any 5 for £6.00. What was also evident was the amount of empty shelves, with no own brand of wholemeal bread, and just a few boxes of eggs.

Some branded items are getting ridiculously highly priced in comparison to supermarket own brands. I would certainly not pay £1.70 for a tin of Heinz soup when even Waitrose soups are only priced at around 70p. I read in a recent newspaper article that Sainsburys tomato soup has beaten Heinz in a recent taste test and that’s only 54p a tin.

The other day my local Co-op had Jacobs cream crackers on sale at £2 a packet but next to them on the shelf the Co-op cream crackers were 79p. I can’t tell any difference between them.

 

[DannyMich2018]

Some branded items are getting ridiculously highly priced in comparison to supermarket own brands. I would certainly not pay £1.70 for a tin of Heinz soup when even Waitrose soups are only priced at around 70p. I read in a recent newspaper article that Sainsburys tomato soup has beaten Heinz in a recent taste test and that’s only 54p a tin.

The other day my local Co-op had Jacobs cream crackers on sale at £2 a packet but next to them on the shelf the Co-op cream crackers were 79p. I can’t tell any difference between them.

I think people should stop buying these overrated brands like Heinz-hit them where it hurts -Heinz Big Soup are £2 now!! It's like crisps too, own brands taste just as nice as Walkers. Interestingly bananas are just as cheap as they've been for ages and not hardly gone up.

 

[takno]

Interestingly bananas are just as cheap as they've been for ages and not hardly gone up.

Bananas are reasonably cheap if you buy them from a shop where they sold by weight. The price they charge in the Tesco Expresses and the like are obscene.

 

[malc-c]

I think people should stop buying these overrated brands like Heinz-hit them where it hurts -

I think people already are. In the sauces isle the only thing left on the shelves in quantity are from Heinz. The shelf with their own brands, and alternatives like Hellmans (which by the way tastes a lot nicer and is only £1 a bottle) were half full.

Slightly off topic, but last week my son purchased three 4' x 2' sheets of 9mm ply, three 8' lengths of 3" x 3" and six lengths of 2" x 1" softwood to make a baseboard from B&Q... £115 !!

 

[Acey]

Slightly off topic, but last week my son purchased three 4' x 2' sheets of 9mm ply, three 8' lengths of 3" x 3" and six lengths of 2" x 1" softwood to make a baseboard from B&Q... £115 !!

Doesn't grow on trees you know !

 

[Domh245]

It's like crisps too, own brands taste just as nice as Walkers.

I'd have to disagree there. Own brand crisps, whilst fine, have a much worse texture than walkers in my opinion. Walkers seem much lighter than own brand crisps, which always seem a bit denser somehow, potentially a different variety of potato or different cooking method

 

[davehsug]

I'd have to disagree there. Own brand crisps, whilst fine, have a much worse texture than walkers in my opinion. Walkers seem much lighter than own brand crisps, which always seem a bit denser somehow, potentially a different variety of potato or different cooking method

I don't care for Walkers, or own brands. Since they changed the way they're made to "save calories", I find them all hard and with very sharp edges. The only crisps I but these days are Seabrooks, which to me at least, still taste like, & have the texture of proper crisps.

 

[malc-c]

Well it's not just human food that is jumping up in price. Just picked up 24 can pack of Pedigree dog food in jelly from Pets at Home. Paid £19.95 for the last pack three weeks ago... £24.99 today..

 

[Kite159]

I noticed in Sainsburys a 6 pack of own label chocolate (Soft & Whippy, Chewy Caramel) went up from 65p to £1 (in a normal store). Shame as those little chocolates were a good size for a little afternoon 'pick me up'.

Also the Ms Molly branded toffee & chocolate mousse puddings in Tesco up from 49p to 59p. As well as an extra 5p on the 2 litre bottles of flavoured pop.

Every little helps the profits.

 

[david1212]

At Aldi numerous items are up around 10% against December.

Meanwhile Iceland overall have increased their prices most, which fits my experience.

Iceland named as supermarket where prices have risen the fastest

Iceland was also named the supermarket having the highest price rises in the year leading up to November 2022.

uk.news.yahoo.com

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Meanwhile Iceland overall have increased their prices most, which fits my experience.

Quite often they're seemingly one of the most expensive food retailers when one compares the exact same branded product.

 

[DannyMich2018]

Quite often they're seemingly one of the most expensive food retailers when one compares the exact same branded product.

Agree. For branded items Iceland is more pricey than the supermarkets on many items. Poundland sells some great grocery and cupboard items at awesome prices, some more than a pound but many less, I got Fox's Party Rings there the other day, 50p!! 70 or 75p in Asda or Tesco.

 

[birchesgreen]

Greggs breakfast baguette and coffee has gone up 10p to 3.70, sad times.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Poundland sells some great grocery and cupboard items at awesome prices, some more than a pound but many less, I got Fox's Party Rings there the other day, 50p!! 70 or 75p in Asda or Tesco.

This product seems to be £1.70 at the Co-op just now, which, quite literally, takes the biscuit!

Fox's Party Rings 125g - Co-op

Fox's Party Rings 125g

www.coop.co.uk

 

[Gloster]

Normally I find that Marks & Spencer’s are more expensive, but their own brand bran flakes are 75p for 500g. Across the car park in Morrisons they are now £1.79 for 1 kg. The big out-of-town Tesco has own brand at 95p for 500g, Kelloggs at £3 for 1 kg.

 

[DelayRepay]

I bought a can of Pepsi Max in my local shop on Saturday which cost 65p - the price was printed on the can.

Yesterday, the same shop was selling cans of Pepsi Max priced at 75p, with the price printed on the can. So a 10p rise in a few days!