supermarket offers....trying to save you money or a rip off

[doormat]

cant find a link as yet...but which magazine are in the news today warning ppl not to give into supermarket offers such as price slash/bogof etc as the consumer is being ripped off...i didnt want to put this in the news section as the credit crunch is hitting the majority of us, have posted in this section....

we all know the tactics of tescos et al that put promotions/things we do not necessarily buy at the front of checkouts...

on secret eaters last night there was a section on this subject also, especially how the introduction of web orders has considerably reduced the spending of the consumer as they are not confronted with dazzling signs/promotions etc

do you shop online to avoid the tempatation to not overspend/not buy what you do not actually need?

are you a careful consumer who can go to a supermarket and can walk away from these offers and see what they really are/ a rip off?

or do you fall for the buy one get 4 free, where you home has mountains of toilet rolls etc?

is there anyway we the consumer can stop greedy supermarkets from ripping us of ?

what are your views?

[CogitoErgoSometimes]

Are you a journalist perhaps?

[doormat]

certainlt not sweetheart....just thought this may be relevant as pennies are tightening in most households

[MoaningMicroraptorRisesAgain]

I think with internet shopping it is a lot easier to compare the price per 100g to get better value. A lot depends on you knowing how much stuff is when not on offer though, I have lots of items I only buy when on offer or if I can get them from a good discount place like Home Bargains. That depends on having time to shop around though.

I am verging on sad bastard territory though, and sometimes search on MySupermarket to see where has an offer on say, eggs or Lurpak if that's what I need

[CogitoErgoSometimes]

It was the assumption that a) supermarkets are all ripping us off and b) people are a too thick to notice, that made me think 'journo' .... Anyone with 'tight pennies' is pretty shrewd when it comes to assessing the promotions IME and, by and large, they're not a rip-off. If something you normally use (like loo-rolls) is on a BOGOF and you can put the spare one away for another day, I don't see why you wouldn't take up the offer. Sometimes the offers aren't so attractive but I'm sure people are intelligent enough to judge.

[JuicyOrange]

I have never den someone called sweetheart on here!

As to the op, will give it some thought. I certainly spend less now I order online, and yy to see the price per unit more easily.

[Dropdeadfred]

It was stated on the radio that this morning that asda had doubled the cost of yoghurts before putting them on special promotion.. Meaning even under the promotion they were more expensive than the normal price beforehand!

[MoaningMicroraptorRisesAgain]

Dh wouldn't have a clue if 2 packs of muller corners are a bargain at £5 or not. I wouldn't buy them, would buy own brand or something else instead. I always buy non perishables on offer whether I need them now or not - toilet rolls, cleaning stuff, laundry stuff, it won't go off and I like a cupboard full of toilet rolls

I started to notice a lot recently when they have hiked prices up in order to reduce them later, especially on treat things like Gu puddings - clocked they went up to 3.50 ish - wait a couple of weeks - now half price, yum I will have some now. I love Pizza Express pizzas, only buy them half price or 2 for £5 at most, would buy own brand frozen or no pizza when they are full price.

I like to think I am reasonably canny with shopping, but I am v fussy so that makes a difference as I have to have Lurpak until we actually can't afford it. Any old spread that's on offer for everyone else though

[Fluffycloudland77]

I just go to aldi for the majority of my shop now.

Morrisons for mark downs

Homebargains for antipasti

Asda for fizzy water and hash browns

Farm shop for potatoes.

Butcher for some meat.

Sod the big 4 for a main shop now. I honestly dont know how some people afford it.

[amothersplaceisinthewrong]

How do you have time for all that. All mine still comes from Waitrose. Being Skint would be going to Sainsburies.

[ivykaty44]

I go to the supermarket with a shopping list- usually in my head. I buy what I need to buy to cook the meals I want to eat for the following week. I look at the bottom of the shelving unit and the top f the shelving unit to find a good priced item.

I don't stray and buy the offers - mostly because the offers are on foods I don't like or branded products that are still more expensive than the own brand goods..

Lidl for my weekly shop, there fruit and vegetables are good in our town
sainsbury for a monthly top up of a few items I like that they sell - mainly their boxes of tomato and olives which I use as a pizza tomato topping. Some shampoos etc and they sell a decaf coffee I like and roobos tea

[Dropdeadfred]

I shop online with ocado - they price match a lot of branded stuff with the dreaded tesco

[scentednappyhag]

Amothersplace- Needs must I go to four different places to ensure I can get everything we need on a tight budget. Being 'skint' enough to shop in Sainsbury's would be lovely...

[crypes]

I have noticed recently that whatever shop im in they have a few really good offers. I think its their'pulling you in' stratedgy. But now i also get different offers from different shops which i never used to do. However, Sainsburys Branded items are cheaper than any other big supermarket and they give a money voucher if its not. Sometimes you dont even realise how many branded items you buy.

[ivykaty44]

tesco are selling baked beans for 1.27 for four tins at the moment branston brand

[bacon]

Which? compiled the report. I've seen this going on. The supermakets are not your friend they want to make enormous profits - its called clever marketing but its very underhand. Everyone sold out to the supermarket but now they are turning on us. Tescos have done a considerable amount of damage to this country, the farmers, aborttoirs and manufacturers while killing off the high street. Tescos control milk prices & major abortoirs. I would also blame them for the obesity due to the sale of utter @hit they sell which we dont need. The quality isnt up to scratch either. Fed up with rubbish fruit and veg.

[doormat]

i am quite lucky...i have a fruit and veg van and man that comes to a local corner shop twice a week....for under a tenner i can get a huge sack of spuds, loads of fruit and veg...he is also really good at throwing in a few items that are more perishable and he will let me know...by saying stuff like make a soup out of that today sweetheat....

i use iceland or farmfoods for freezer stock once a month....

asda i use for soap powder and smart price items like spag sauce.sweet n sour et al and for pulses, lentils etc...i also go there around 6pm to pick up the woopsies on bread and freeze alot of them when they go down to 10 or 20p (usually warburtons as i am very fussy on bread)...once gor 14 loaves of warburton thick for £1.40....was made up

very rarely do i use tescos..even though there is a major store 10 mins walk away....find them too expensive

i try to be a savvy shopper and am not sayed by the offers tbh...

[MarySA]

I think Tesco's are the worst supermarket for misleading offers. It's our nearest supermarket otherwise I'd never set foot in the place. Sainsbury's offers are more genuine I feel. I hate this buy two and save 1p lark. I totally hate three for two offers and hardly ever bother with them. Lately, I've been trying not to fall for special offers especially the buy more and save money. When you obviously are spending more money.

[RedHelenB]

I always get my t bags & dishwasher tablets when there are offers on no matter what as they keep. Things like crisps too if it is about to be school holidays but if I don't think I'll use them then I won't.

I've heard checkout assistants tell old people it's buy one get one free on yoghurts say but they don't bother cos they won't eat them!!!