A savvy shopper decided to do their big shop in a local Home Bargains store to see how much they could save - and it turns out the budget store is much cheaper than supermarket giant Asda.
While the cost of living continues to spiral, many people will be looking for ways to protect their finances and the weekly food shop is a great place to start.
Emma Gill, parenting editor at the Manchester Evening News, recently decided to see if she could save by ditching the supermarket and heading to Home Bargains.
At the end of the day, she was shocked by the amount she had saved - and said that it appeared Home Bargains was going to war with Asda with the bargains they offered.
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Emma said: "It's the kind of place you nip in when you need some toiletries or cleaning stuff - or at least that's what it used to be.
"But budget shop Home Bargains has undergone something of a transformation in recent times, with more and more people using it to do their grocery shopping.
"If you've been inside one of the big stores, like the one I visited at Middlebrook Retail and Leisure Park in Bolton this week, you'll know that many are home to large fridge and freezer sections, as well as shelves full of fresh fruit and vegetables.
"If you haven't ventured over to them, then you might not know just what bargains are in store. Attempting to do a big shop, I got everything I went in for - and more. And some of the prices were ridiculous, ridiculously cheap that is."
Emma said that a massive 1.2kg bag of apples cost just £1, a 250g punnet of strawberries was £1 and a 2kg bag of white potatoes was 69p.
She continued: "Two dozen of the products we bought from Home Bargains were actually cheaper than Asda's prices - some of them massively so.
"A 900g pack of McCain crispy French fries, for instance, cost £1.69 at Home Bargains, compared with £2.50 at Asda.
"Home Bargains' 1kg bag of Laila Basmati rice cost £1.49, compared with £2; and a Mr Kipling Battenberg cake was almost half the price at 99p, compared with £1.95. Even Asda's two for £3.50 offer wouldn't make them any cheaper than the Home Bargains price.
"And it wasn't the only time where Asda's multibuys and 'roll back' promotions still proved more expensive. Home Bargains has deals and bulk buys of its own - like a two-pack of 888ml Fairy non-bio laundry gel for £7.49. Individually they're on offer at Asda for £4.50 each, a increase of £1.51 for the pair."
Emma also noticed that a three-pack of 200g Heinz Beanz cost £1.39 compared with Asda's £1.50, HP Classic BBQ sauce 465g was £1.49 compared with £2.29; Soreen lunchbox loaves, 99p compared with £1.50 and an eight-pack of 500ml Highland sparkling waters for £2.19 compared with £2.70.
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She continued: "Home Bargains is certainly setting its stall out to battle Asda and the other big supermarkets for our sought-after custom - and it's one we should all be welcoming if it means spending less on the things we all need."
A spokesperson for Home Bargains said: "We know that many people, our loyal customers included, are struggling with the current cost of living. We are doing everything we can to keep prices as low as possible, including absorbing price increases where we can.
"We will continue to work to help our customers through these challenging times."
A spokesperson for Asda said: "As the lowest priced major supermarket, we always provide our customers with low prices and great choice. Alongside 30,000 branded and own brand products, we recently announced that we would be matching the price of 100 health, beauty and household items with Home Bargains to ensure our customers don't need to shop around to find the best value."
Here's a list of products from Home Bargains, and how the prices compare with Asda
- Sliced corned beef 100g - £1 / 125g £2
- Strawberries 250g - £1 / 227g £1.19
- Heinz Beanz 3x200g pack - £1.39 / £1.50
- Bird's Eye crispy chicken (2-pack) - £1.19 / rollback £1.25
- McCain crispy French fries 900g - £1.69 / £2.50
- Mars ice creams 7-pack - £2.25 / offer 3 packs of four for £5
- Lattes 10x14g sachets - 79p / 8x17g 85p
- Chopped tomatoes with herbs 2x400g 45p each - 90p / 2x50p £1
- Laila Basmati rice 1kg - £1.49 / £2
- Little gem lettuce 2-pack - 65p / 75p
- HP Classic BBQ sauce 465g - £1.49 / £2.29
- Utterly Butterly 1kg - £1.95 / 1kg Clover (closest equivalent) £2.50
- Carex hand wash 500ml - £1.59 / 250ml £1
- Roberts thick white bread 800g - 99p / £1.20
- Soft and Gentle deodorant 250ml - £1.49 / £1.70
- Mr Kipling Battenberg 256g - 99p / £1.95
- Soreen lunchbox loaves - 99p / £1.50
- Sheldon's oven bottom muffins - 99p / £1.20
- Warburtons crumpets 9-pack - £1 / £1.10
- Highland sparkling water 8x500ml - £2.19 / £2.70
- Fairy non-bio laundry gel 2x888ml 48w - £7.49 / 2x888ml £9 (roll back to £4.50 each)
- Apples 1.2kg - £1 / 2 x 500g cheapest Farm Stores £1.30
- Galaxy cake bars 5-pack 99p / 10-pack £2.50
- Tunnocks Teacakes six-pack - 99p / £1.10
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