Worrying stats show that the average home is set to pay almost £400 extra this year just to eat. But with a bit of planning and tweaking, you can save on your food shop. Here’s everything you need to know…
Time your shop
Rather than dashing to the supermarket on the way home from work, or always doing a weekly shop on a Saturday morning, be more flexible – and knowledgeable – to bag the bargains. “Work out what time your local store reduces its items,” says money expert Polly Arrowsmith. “I have found out that my local M&S starts doing its reductions at 9am and does a second round at 6pm. Waitrose does it around 6pm, with Tesco around 8am. The best thing to do is ask staff in-store, as when supermarkets do their reductions is often a local management decision.”
If it lasts, buy in bulk
It’s easy to get into a habit of always buying the same things, but when it comes to anything with a long shelf life, from cleaning products to dried foods – often buying bigger works out better. “If you can afford to, buying non-perishables – such as washing-up liquid, toilet and kitchen roll, cleaning fluids and laundry detergent – in larger quantities when they’re on offer will save money,” says Polly. “Keep your eyes peeled for offers. You can also stock up on long-date food, such as tinned goods, when you see a good deal.”
Scan shelves from top to bottom
It helps to know the retailer’s tricks to avoid overspending. “In the supermarket, costly items are always at the average adult eye-level on the shelf, with the own and cheaper brands on the bottom and top thirds of the shelves,” explains Polly. “It’s worth craning your neck to find something that is better value.” Always filling your trolley with offers? Pause first. “The offers are what supermarkets want you to buy, so don’t presume they are always the best value,” says Polly. “Check the price per unit on the tag to compare the same item with different quantities.”
Always use your loyalty card
“Obviously you shouldn’t overspend just to get store loyalty points, but if you’re buying anyway, make sure you use a loyalty card,” says Polly. “Tesco offers reduced prices on selected items when you scan your Clubcard at the till, and Boots also does a great loyalty card, and often has special offers where you can get £10 of points if you spend £60 online.” Often, when you download the accompanying app, you get even more deals, so make sure you’re getting the most from your loyalty schemes. Download the Nectar app and use Sainsbury’s SmartShop self-scanning service to get discounts on your most frequently bought products of up to 30 per cent, which adds up to around £200 of savings a year, on average.
Compare prices from different sections
It might surprise you to learn that the exact same product in two different aisles can have a different price tag. Nuts are a good example – compare them in the world food aisle and the baking aisle – one will be more affordable. Spices and seasonings are usually cheaper in the world food aisle or online – look for spices in bags rather than jars. Similarly, drinks are often more expensive from a fridge, so look for juices in cartons elsewhere in the store.
Get fruit and veg for less
As well as checking the yellow sticker section, it’s worth knowing that Lidl are selling 5kg boxes of fruit and veg that are slightly discoloured, damaged or deteriorated, but still good enough to eat, for just £1.50. Ask where to find them in your local store. Choose fruit and veg labelled as “wonky” at Morrisons, and at Marks & Spencer, you can get a paper bag of overripe bananas for 25p. Each “Go Bananas” bag contains a minimum of three ready-to-eat bananas. At Iceland and The Food Warehouse stores, all customers over 60 years old can get 10 per cent off their shopping, with no minimum spend. Just show a proof of age, such as a driving license or senior bus card, at the checkout.