Supermarkets discussion

[Mcr Warrior]

But how much for 6 at "normal" price? We don't eat crisps all that often these days and it might be that all we need is a 6 pack, so why waste £1.50 buying 6 you won't be eating anytime soon?

"Normal price" at Tesco's for a six pack of Walkers crisps (6 x 25g) would seem to be £1.95 just now.

 

[Kite159]

I've noticed that Tesco have increased a few frozen prices (ready meals from £1,70odd to £2,00) lately. I wonder if they plan to do another "Buy any X frozen items and get the cheapest free" promotion after Christmas before lowering some of the prices after the promotion ends.

 

[takno]

I've noticed that Tesco have increased a few frozen prices (ready meals from £1,70odd to £2,00) lately. I wonder if they plan to do another "Buy any X frozen items and get the cheapest free" promotion after Christmas before lowering some of the prices after the promotion ends.

I think their ready meal prices (both frozen and chilled) have just permanently gone up tbh. They're still competitive (price-wise) with other supermarkets, although the quality is fairly low. It's always interesting to see what prices stick after christmas is over, but ready meals aren't exactly in the festive basket - it's some of the price rises on snacks that I'd expect to see getting walked back a bit.

 

[gswindale]

"Normal price" at Tesco's for a six pack of Walkers crisps (6 x 25g) would seem to be £1.95 just now.

So, that would be £3.90 for 12 as opposed to £3.15 if you bought the big pack. Seems like the usual economies of scale to me.

 

[Kite159]

I think their ready meal prices (both frozen and chilled) have just permanently gone up tbh. They're still competitive (price-wise) with other supermarkets, although the quality is fairly low. It's always interesting to see what prices stick after christmas is over, but ready meals aren't exactly in the festive basket - it's some of the price rises on snacks that I'd expect to see getting walked back a bit.

Better price to increase than quality to decrease further (with less meat) etc

 

[takno]

Better price to increase than quality to decrease further (with less meat) etc

I haven't bought any chilled Tesco ready meals at actual full price for years. I've given up on the twofors as well in the last couple of years. I only get them when they're on reduced on the last day. I don't mind paying 50% more at Sainsburys just because some of theirs is okay. On the frozen ones both the price and quality seem fairly similar, although I'm quite taken with the Sainsburys economy ones at less than a quid a pop.

 

[DannyMich2018]

So, that would be £3.90 for 12 as opposed to £3.15 if you bought the big pack. Seems like the usual economies of scale to me.

Many places you can get 2 packs of 6 for like £3.50 or something. To be honest I think Seabrook crisps are quite nice and much cheaper too, Aldi 6 pack crisps are mainly £1.09 and are okay plus you get good number in the bag. I rarely buy Walkers.

 

[Lost property]

Not specific to any one supermarket, but, did anybody else watch the "Dispatches " programme about a certain turkey supplier's processing plant recently ?

If so, sales of their products are likely to drop significantly....the quality control and "standards " were frightening to watch (being minimal to non existent) and the supermarkets are happy to sell these products to the public.

 

[AM9]

Not specific to any one supermarket, but, did anybody else watch the "Dispatches " programme about a certain turkey supplier's processing plant recently ?

If so, sales of their products are likely to drop significantly....the quality control and "standards " were frightening to watch (being minimal to non existent) and the supermarkets are happy to sell these products to the public.

These 'reveal' TV programmes or Newspaper exclusives rarely make that much difference to the actual sales figures, particularly with such 'tradition icons' as turkeys at Christmas.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

These 'reveal' TV programmes or Newspaper exclusives rarely make that much difference to the actual sales figures, particularly with such 'tradition icons' as turkeys at Christmas.

Having said that, doubt that Tesco will sell all that much own-brand stuffing mix this "Chris-moth"!

 

[maniacmartin]

Posh cheese has been more expensive than usual in Sainsburys for a few weeks now. Just in time for it to now be on offer for Christmas (back to the price it always was)!

 

[jon81uk]

Many places you can get 2 packs of 6 for like £3.50 or something. To be honest I think Seabrook crisps are quite nice and much cheaper too, Aldi 6 pack crisps are mainly £1.09 and are okay plus you get good number in the bag. I rarely buy Walkers.

My current favourite are Lidl Deluxe cheese and onion, £1.49 for six bags and as good as Kettle Chips.

 

[Lost property]

These 'reveal' TV programmes or Newspaper exclusives rarely make that much difference to the actual sales figures, particularly with such 'tradition icons' as turkeys at Christmas.

That's true to a point, but, had anybody watched the programme, supermarket turkey, and associated products, would drop as I said.

There again, it was a documentary and, unfortunately, the UK public seem to prefer the surplus of reality / "celeb " self promotional dross ( no thinking required after all ) to factual gravitas which could affect their lives

 

[Mcr Warrior]

"Normal price" at Tesco's for a six pack of Walkers crisps (6 x 25g) would seem to be £1.95 just now.

So, that would be £3.90 for 12 as opposed to £3.15 if you bought the big pack. Seems like the usual economies of scale to me.

Possibly higher unit prices on individual 6 packs to make the multi-buy offer or 12 pack prices seem that little bit more competitive.

Noted also that 6 packs are even higher priced than Tesco, being £2.00 at Asda and £2.20 at each of Morrison's and Sainsbury's.

 

[Baxenden Bank]

Possibly higher unit prices on individual 6 packs to make the multi-buy offer or 12 pack prices seem that little bit more competitive.

Noted also that 6 packs are even higher priced than Tesco, being £2.00 at Asda and £2.20 at each of Morrison's and Sainsbury's.

My thought was that, if on offer, the six pack should represent a saving rather than still being more expensive than the 12 pack being sold at their normal price. Whether £3.90 at normal price (2 x 6-pack) compared to £3.15 at normal price (1 x 12-pack) represents true economies of scale is another question.

 

[Kite159]

I've noticed that the Boots at both Manchester Piccadilly & Liverpool Lime Street have hiked the cost of a meal deal from £3.60*/£3.99 to £4,50*/£4.99. Is that going to be the new standard rate (with London stores getting charged extra) or are they just trying to profit from being on stations?

(* Price with loyalty card)

 

[takno]

I've noticed that the Boots at both Manchester Piccadilly & Liverpool Lime Street have hiked the cost of a meal deal from £3.60*/£3.99 to £4,50*/£4.99. Is that going to be the new standard rate (with London stores getting charged extra) or are they just trying to profit from being on stations?

(* Price with loyalty card)

It was 3.99/3.60 last week at Edinburgh station, though I suppose it might have gone up since.

Realistically I can be bothered to worry about a Boots loyalty card on top of all the ones I would use more than once every 3 months, so I was already mostly not willing to buy at the lower price. If they're charging the same as Smith's they can forget it twice over.

 

[Statto]

I've noticed that the Boots at both Manchester Piccadilly & Liverpool Lime Street have hiked the cost of a meal deal from £3.60*/£3.99 to £4,50*/£4.99. Is that going to be the new standard rate (with London stores getting charged extra) or are they just trying to profit from being on stations?

(* Price with loyalty card)

Think it's trying to profit from being on stations.

I used to pop in now & again & buy the meal deal from the Boots shop at Lime Street station, it was £1 to £1.50 cheaper than the equivalent deal from WH Smith next door (& reasonable, comparing with meal deals in supermarkets outside of stations), don't think i'll bother from now on, i'll stick to the supermarket meal deals.

 

[Kite159]

Think it's trying to profit from being on stations.

I used to pop in now & again & buy the meal deal from the Boots shop at Lime Street station, it was £1 to £1.50 cheaper than the equivalent deal from WH Smith next door (& reasonable, comparing with meal deals in supermarkets outside of stations), don't think i'll bother from now on, i'll stick to the supermarket meal deals.

I think the best way to check will be somewhere like Birmingham to see if the Boots on the station is charging more than the Boots located at the Bull Ring near the station. If the station one is charging more than it's them trying to profit more, which is a shame as I've used that Boots at New Street a few times, especially when the city centre is busy.

 

[AM9]

Think it's trying to profit from being on stations.

I used to pop in now & again & buy the meal deal from the Boots shop at Lime Street station, it was £1 to £1.50 cheaper than the equivalent deal from WH Smith next door (& reasonable, comparing with meal deals in supermarkets outside of stations), don't think i'll bother from now on, i'll stick to the supermarket meal deals.

Thinking of the thread here some while ago about the pseudo cartel that runs retail outlets at UK stations, aren't these in-station shops just saying that those customers that use these shops inside the gateline should contribute to their higher costs?

 

[Baxenden Bank]

Thinking of the thread here some while ago about the pseudo cartel that runs retail outlets at UK stations, aren't these in-station shops just saying that those customers that use these shops inside the gateline should contribute to their higher costs?

Apart from the fact that they are outside the gateline at Piccadilly.
Greggs is but a few yards from the main entrance and offers hot drinks substantially cheaper than the 'big brand' outlets on the concourse. Sainsbury's is within the station complex yet much better prices than the 'big brand' rip-off merchants. At Piccadilly at least, you don't have to pay rip-off prices, but people do.

 

[takno]

Apart from the fact that they are outside the gateline at Piccadilly.
Greggs is but a few yards from the main entrance and offers hot drinks substantially cheaper than the 'big brand' outlets on the concourse. Sainsbury's is within the station complex yet much better prices than the 'big brand' rip-off merchants. At Piccadilly at least, you don't have to pay rip-off prices, but people do.

Greggs are probably slightly cheaper, but much less so than they were a few years ago, and the ones at stations and airports are increasingly SSP franchises which are more expensive than the high street ones

 

[AM9]

Apart from the fact that they are outside the gateline at Piccadilly.
Greggs is but a few yards from the main entrance and offers hot drinks substantially cheaper than the 'big brand' outlets on the concourse. Sainsbury's is within the station complex yet much better prices than the 'big brand' rip-off merchants. At Piccadilly at least, you don't have to pay rip-off prices, but people do.

My comment was a general note about in station operations, and nothing to do with Piccadilly in particular.
So at Piccadilly, either Greggs runs it as a loss leader, or their landlord/franchise issuer gives them a lower rate as they are (slightly) competing with local street outlets.

 

[py_megapixel]

My comment was a general note about in station operations, and nothing to do with Piccadilly in particular.
So at Piccadilly, either Greggs runs it as a loss leader, or their landlord/franchise issuer gives them a lower rate as they are (slightly) competing with local street outlets.

I believe Greggs at Piccadilly is technically not part of the station but rather in a neighbouring building - though it's barely any further from the platforms than some of the actual station retail outlets, so it's a rare case where you get the convenience of something right on the station without inflated prices.

 

[Ken X]

I perused the special offer stand in the entrance of our local Sainsbury's today.

Hot Cross Buns £1 for six.

Brightened my day no end but we declined the offer.

 

[warwickshire]

I perused the special offer stand in the entrance of our local Sainsbury's today.

Hot Cross Buns £1 for six.

Brightened my day no end but we declined the offer.

Yes, give it a couple or so days into New year, by the end of first week January 2024, no doubt the easter eggs will soon be out.

 

[JamesT]

Yes, give it a couple or so days into New year, by the end of first week January 2024, no doubt the easter eggs will soon be out.

Why wait? Some shops have them already

MSN

 

[GatwickDepress]

Yes, give it a couple or so days into New year, by the end of first week January 2024, no doubt the easter eggs will soon be out.

We received them on the 14th, had them displayed by Christmas Eve.

 

[david1212]

Aldi

Last week half of the 8 self-service checkouts were out of use.
Today still the same and the 'minder' was forcing all with 20 or more items to the operated checkouts. I said ' Where is the sign? '. She pointed to a mostly hidden sign, without moving the stack of baskets in front I could not see if it actually stated this. Even if it did and was not mostly hidden the location is not prominent.

Is this a problem at one store and an ad-hoc 20 item rule or a change across all stores?

Initially just one operated checkout was open with a queue of at least 5. Two more were started but a while before operators actually appeared. If this is going to be normal at least two operated checkouts need to be open except at very quiet times.

Generally my experience in Aldi and Lidl is a time lag between announcing a checkout will open and an operator arriving. It can be quicker to queue at the open checkout than be the first to unload the trolley at one announced as opening. A couple of small under 20 item self-service checkouts are needed at my nearest Lidl. It is relative new store, less than 2 years, but has non.

 

[jbqfc]

Sainsburys in Crawley have changed the scale to ones that have a camera that detects what you are weighing
I guess to stop people from picking something cheaper

John