To think that multibuys and BOGOFs are a bad idea all round?

[urbanproserpine]

I am now getting so angry and frustrated that I am thinking of starting a campaign.

Every single time I go to a supermarket I end up having to buy extra stuff because I 'can't afford not to'. There are five of us, and I am lucky enough to be able to afford to pay out extra for multibuys to get the best deals, but I resent all the messing about and waste. Not to mention the environmental impact all the extra packets creates.

Anyone who doesn't have the cash to buy three packs of toilet roll at once, or can't possibly eat two pineapples in one week is really paying over the odds on these items. I'm beginning to think that the 'real' price is the offer price in many cases anyway.

thoughts?

Its taking any idea of the actual value of things out of our hands. Who knows now what a good price for toilet rolls, blueberries, shampoo, etc etc is? (£4 a punnet if you are buying just one - can that be the 'real' price?) we jsut don't because its always 'half price' or on offer.

I think we're all so confused that we're grateful for offers that don't actually mean anything. The notion that other items are available is not always the case, especially when it comes to fruit and veg...

I hate the way they price things. I recently bougt 4 tins of tuna, BOGOF (so 8 tins) for £7.99. All I could think was "when the hell have these been £6.99 for 4 tins of tuna??" A while later, saw 4 tins of tuna - £3.50! Clearly marked up to then put on'offer'. Makes me really angry actually how supermarkets screw over people for profit

also some people can't afford TO get bogoff offers. If you have no spare cash to buy a BOGOFF you are really losing quite a lot of money in the long run (or space and transport like 2boystooloud)

I don't get how you can not afford to not buy something. If there was no offer, you'd just buy the one item, wouldn't you? So why can't you still buy it, it's still the same price as it would be if there was no offer...

I often don't take the extra free item, there's no point if I don't need or want it and it's just going to go off and be wasted. Also I often walk to the supermarket so don't really want extra stuff that I'll then have to carry home. Especially if it's something bulky or heavy. I just ignore the offer if it's not interesting or useful for me.

Ephiny if its a three for two and you only have money for one you'd miss out, no?

It isn't fair if they do offers of "buy two, get third free"

If item is 50p, you buy 3 for £1...individual item is only 33p

Supermarkets cost for this, so poor sod that hasn't got space to store all the extra items has to pay higher unit cost of 50p.

Therefore isn't a bargain, just another con.

Always winds me up with those pubs that have "buy one get one free" meal deals....actually means that anyone eating alone has to pay double.

I really can't understand what you're complaining about. What's wrong with getting something for free? providing it is. Sometimes you have to check if it really is an offer or not, but that's not a big problem is it. If you don't want something for free buy the expensive not on offer stuff, it's entirely your decision.

Typed to slow there, mean what urbanproperine said

There usually is a single option on the shelf that is cheaper to buy on its own.

Like the multi-buys of tuna are never as cheap per item as the single tin sitting there for 45p.

Ditto, tins of tomatoes. Beans. All in nice recyclable cans, without the extra packaging.

We are all being duped, essentially.

"Ephiny if its a three for two and you only have money for one you'd miss out, no?"

I see what you mean, but if you only have money for one you can only have one in either case, whether there's an offer on or not. So you're not really any worse off?

I was thinking more from the perspective of people who feel they 'have' to get the extra item just because it's offered. My DP is like this and it winds me up!

I think LadyGooGoo sums it up well there with her simple analogy.

The offers are there to baffle us into not ever finding out what the true price is. I hate going to the supermarket now - it feels like a maths test.

I took the car the other day to stock up a bit, thought I'd been clever and availed myself of a fair few multibuy offers - my receipt tells me I saved the grand total of 0.43p on a £70odd bill.

I remember adding up in 'old money'. Life was a bloody maths test.

yes ephiny, but its an artificially inflated price you're paying for the single, so you are being penalised for not being able to buy in bulk.

I think bulk buying is good if you can afford it (and has always been around), but in many cases the packaging is multiples of single packs, when they could produce a larger pack instead

I only do it with non perishable stuff - eg loo rolls, cleaning stuff. Not with perishable stuff, unless I am absolutely sure it is going to get eaten.

what stressheaderic said

While I'm at it, along with buy 2 get 1 free and artificially highly price for 28 days just so they can Mark it at reasonable half price the following month.

What really annoys me is the supermarkets shelf labels giving cost per unit...
per item
or per 100g
or per kg
or per hectare rainforest destroyed for each little square of deceitful, misinformation, shelf label!

Feel like I'm having nightmare back to maths GCSE days except instead of being naked I'm haggard, sleep deprived and wearing yesterday's knickers in ball down leg of my trousers

I totally agree with you OP. It drives me nuts and have started similar posts in the past.

Only yesterday I went to buy a garlic bulb and ended up with 6. They were on 2 for 1 and only sold in bags of 3 because they were conveniently out of stock of loose garlic.

I know some may argue that I didn't need to take the second free one but I AM paying for it, whether that's through the price of other items or the garlic price itself.

Actually I didn't come away with 6 bulbs because I was so incensed by the whole thing I tore open the bag and paid for one as if it was loose

I am with you -I wish they would simply PUT THE PRICE DOWN.

Totally agree Urban. I think it is a loathsome practice. And it does make us spend more otherwise they simply wouldn't do it.

Wine offers often a real 'fix'. Pinot Grigio 9.99 one week and then 4.99 the next ..ho hum..
I am now an expert on getting cheap wine that tastes ok [to my probably unsophisticated] tastebuds.
On the rare occasion I hit the vitamin section for kids vits the 3 for two offers are usually no use as can usually only afford 1. [chewable jelly type ones].
Also do have to be careful re multibuy as not always cheapest option.
Always muttering to myself in the cheese section trying to work out cheapest options!!
[Of course have to do balancing act with my wine vs kids vits. Will keep my decision a secret!! Cheers!!].

And (never knew I was repressing so much supermarket rage) I hate when there is an offer for a 500g pack of something for £4 that has sold out so I have to buy the 250g pack for £3.98

Cathedral City bland mature cheddar, I'm looking at you

yep, that's the other thing Ladygoogoo. I so love being in a supermarket with three under five, doing mental arithmetic to compare a 'price per kg' with a price per 250g serving, and then not ebing able to work out the price per whatever is when its IN the offer or OUT

this is why I no longer shop on-line with Tesco & shop with Ocado instead. Everyone says Ocado/Waitrose is more expensive but I spend MUCH less than at Tesco, buying extra's so I can receive the 'free' items I don't need...if you can understand that...(e.g. buying buy one get one free/half price etc Ben & Jerry icecream..it's always stuff that makes you fat that's on offer too..)

Quite 2Boys, I aim to never have an educated wine palate, I like my dog piss nice and cheap

Ooh me too with 3 under 5, weighing packs of jacket potatoes to see cost per 100g. Trying to save 20p whilst boys tipping in packs of pre sliced fennel in gold dust vinaigrette.