From red labels to yellow stickers, there are numerous ways for people to get their weekly shopping for a reduced price. And any discount is helpful at the moment with food inflation still at more than nine percent after soaring last year.
On top of red labels, which signify that an item is on offer, Big Four supermarket Sainsbury's have started using larger 'special offer' tags in some branches to draw customers towards cost-cut products. The store also offers reduced items, which brandish a yellow sticker and can save you some cash on items that are nearing their best-before or use-by date.
With that in mind, Birmingham Live journalist David Bentley wanted to see how much a bargain shop at the popular store could get him. His experiment ended up with a security alert over chicken and an unexpected row over baked beans.
Here is a walk through David's attempted bargain shop and the cost-effective items that he opted for - as well as the pricy products that he chose to avoid.
Yellow stickers
While prices can be cut drastically, David says that there's often a good reason the products are on offer in the first place.
He said: "It mostly consisted of microwaveable bags of mixed veg and ready meal curries and you can see why shoppers are generally avoiding them - they may be convenient, but they are expensive ways to make a meal.
"Far better to get fresh loose veg and to make your own curries. Don't just get a yellow sticker for the sake of it is a lesson quickly learned."
Meat
David picked up some chicken thighs to get a closer look at the weight listed on the pack - and to his surprise it caused a security alert, with an alarm going off in the section and also in the back of the store.
The journalist added: "A second shock came when I saw chicken thighs (640g) were now £5.75, even more expensive than the chicken breasts at £5 for a pack of the same weight.
"Thighs are usually the cheaper cut but that seems to have created such a demand that they are now more pricey. It might be time to check out the local butcher or meat wholesaler. Overall, I noticed very few people buying meat at all and it must be down to the higher price."
Canned foods and sauces
When heading for the canned food aisle, David came across a blazing row between two shoppers that "encapsulated the cost of living nightmare".
He explained: "Heinz baked beans are an eye-watering £1.55 a tin, though they were on offer at £1.20 - still way more expensive than Sainsbury's own brand at 55p.
"Near to me, a couple were getting their groceries and one had reached for Heinz beans before the other raised their voice and jabbed a finger at the price. After an argument over which to buy, they settled for the own-brand version going in their basket.
"I'm a big fan of the Sainsbury's beans and I would agree, especially as the price makes them even more appealing."
Bread
"I still remember the day when I recently saw a loaf of supermarket bread soar past the £2 barrier and land at £2.15. That's still the supermarket price for Hovis Seed Sensations," David said. "My eyes were drawn to Sainsbury's own white bread at just 95p - even if you're a fan of wholemeal, brown or seeded loaves, a cheap white loaf is fine for freezing and using as toast."
However, for a bit of compromise he instead opted for Sainsbury's Taste The Difference wholemeal seeded bread for £1.45.
Cereals
David said: "If porridge is your thing, a box of Quaker oats is now £3.15. But there was a far cheaper option with a Sainsbury's bag of oats for £1.40 and I've seen even cheaper brands at Tesco. Similarly, Weetabix was £4 compared to the Sainsbury's Wheat Biscuits version for £2.15.
"The best deal of all to be had in this section was 90p for Sainsbury's Choco Rice Pops compared with Kellogg's Coco Pops at £3.50. The budget-priced alternative is the clear winner on every level."
Toilet roll
The last item on David's shopping list was toilet paper, and it appears that there are less and less cost-effective options that are available.
He said: "The run of cheap choices seemed to grind to a halt here. Among the prices, Sainsbury's Super Soft was £4.50 for nine rolls but you can find much cheaper products in other places.
"I bought two 18-roll packs of Softesse rolls at Poundstretcher for a total of £7 in a deal they have on and that's easily the best bargain I've seen on the high street."
The verdict
As David pointed out, Sainsbury's is not the cheapest supermarket in the UK but it came second in the latest Which? survey on the checkout bill of a large trolley at all the major chains.
He said "Supermarket shopping has always been a balance of cost versus convenience but it's clear that has turned into a battle - and cost has easily won over convenience. There's a point now where some goods just feel too expensive, meaning we are all faced with going to multiple stores to bring down our weekly shopping bills to something far more manageable."
David concluded that he might still need to get items from somewhere else to make an actual meal while maintaining a saving.
He commented: "A list of all the stores to visit is now needed as much as a shopping list of what to buy."
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