The UK is currently facing a cost of living crisis as the price of food continues to rise.
Recent statistics from the market researcher Kantar suggested inflation for overall grocery prices had now hit 5.9% in the fastest rise since December 2011. Consumer price index inflation also jumped to 7% in March and analysts have predicted it could have hit more than 8% in April due to the impact of surging energy bills - as Mirror Online reports.
The chairman of Asda has warned prices could rise once again due to the cost of raw materials and impact of inflation. Lord Rose of Monewden appeared on the latest edition of BBC's Sunday morning show and said consumers should cut out products they do not need as costs reach "a new high".
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He added: "What we all now have to do is maybe change our behaviours. I will personally look at my own behaviour and what things I need and what things I don't need. There are not uniform rules about Covid-19. There are not uniform rules about all sorts of things. The government needs to look and say 'how do we make things simpler?'."
Lord Rose added that ministers could also help the cost of living crisis by talking to food retailers "to make sure that we are cutting out every extra cost". Figures from the Office for National Statistics found that 39% of adults said they had trimmed back their grocery shopping in the past two weeks.
Referring to the cost of raw materials, Lord Rose said there would be a "new level" that "won't go down". He said: "It is a new high and that is something that people are going to have to accommodate.
"What we are now going to have to think about is, is that going to have a long-term effect on inflation because then will we have a wage spiral, or won't we?"
As the impact of the cost of living crisis hits home for millions of people, Which? says there are some small changes that could reduce your bill by hundreds. Adam French, consumer rights expert, said: “Rising food prices and the cost of living crisis are putting huge pressure on household budgets at the moment, and no one wants to overpay for food.
"Shopping around and buying own-brand products is an easy way to save hundreds of pounds a year, as is avoiding expensive convenience stores if you can. Those prepared to switch to a cheaper supermarket for their regular shop will likely find some great value alternatives to their favourite brands.”
We have rounded up 9 ways shoppers can save on their food shop amid the cost-of-living crisis:
1. Avoid convenience stores
While it isn’t an option for everyone, avoiding convenience stores could save shoppers 9.5% on their food shop a year - and that includes Sainsbury's Local and Tesco Extra. Which? analysed the average prices of 48 items at the two largest convenience chains, Tesco Express and Sainsbury’s Local, and compared the costs with the same items at their supermarket counterparts.
The highest weekly price difference between Sainsbury's and Sainsbury's Local during the period was a substantial £10.20, or £322 over the course of a year. Meanwhile, a basket of groceries from Tesco Express cost on average £279 more over the course of a year. For those who have the option of going to a regular supermarket rather than a convenience store, it pays to make the switch.
2. Shopping around could save you £9.21 a week
It often pays to look in different supermarkets for the best prices. For example, in March 2022, Lidl was the cheapest supermarket, with a basket of 21 groceries costing an average of £26.83. The same or equivalent items from the priciest supermarket Waitrose cost £36.04, that's a £9.21 saving.
3. Take the own-brand test
Shoppers can also make significant savings by opting for supermarket own-brand products over expensive branded items. For example, switching from Innocent orange juice (£3.60 for 1.35 litres, 27p per 100ml) to Aldi’s The Juice Company Smooth Orange Juice - costing just £1.69 per 1.75L carton (10p per 100ml) could save shoppers nearly £100 a year.
4. Search different aisles
Which? found that some products, including rice, sauces, and baking ingredients, can be found in multiple different supermarket aisles at different prices. For example, rice and chickpeas can be cheaper in the world foods aisle than they are in other parts of the shop.
Similarly, sultanas and cashew nuts often cost less in the baking aisle as well as the dried fruit and nuts or snacking shelves. Supermarkets often place their less-profitable items high and low on the shelves, and the ones they want to promote at eye level. Shoppers should scan the shelves thoroughly and look up and down.
5. Stock up when you can
Grocery prices can vary from week to week, fluctuating by up to 284 per cent. Price fluctuations, or 'yo-yo' pricing, means that it is often worth shoppers stocking up when items they buy regularly are discounted. This approach can work particularly well for store-cupboard items and products that can be frozen.
6. Get rewarded for your spending
Shoppers can sign up for supermarket loyalty schemes to earn points and save money on their shopping. Many schemes offer exclusive discounts, rewards, charity donations and competitions to loyal customers.
Which? found that customers could save between 50p (with Sainsbury's Nectar) and £5 (Iceland) for every £100 spent when using a supermarket loyalty scheme. However, these savings could easily be cancelled out if the shop's prices are higher than those of its competitors. So while it's always worth signing up to schemes offered by shops you already use, you probably shouldn’t change where you shop just to earn points.
7. Don't be duped by discounts
Supermarkets often place vertical signs with offers on in the middle of the aisle, with the intention of catching shoppers’ eyes. While special offers can be helpful, they can encourage shoppers to purchase items they hadn’t intended on buying.
Shoppers should look at the unit or ‘per-100g’ cost rather than the overall pack price – this makes it much easier to compare the product against alternatives. It’s also worth noting that 'value packs' don’t always offer the best deal. Sometimes buying two packs of five is actually cheaper than one pack of 10.
8. Write a list, and stick to it
Supermarkets purposefully spread different types of groceries across different sections of the shop to make sure customers walk past as many shelves as possible, even if they’re only there for a few basic items. Taking the simple step of making a list and trying not to be distracted by other products is an easy way for shoppers to save money.
9. Be flexible with best-before dates
Food with a use-by date must be used by midnight of its expiry date or it could be unsafe. However, best-before dates are far more flexible and don't have the same safety issues.
Food near or even after its best-before date is usually perfectly fine to eat and often heavily discounted. If you find something in the cupboard that's gone past its best-before date, give it a sniff – if it smells fine, it should be OK to eat.
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