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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To think that Supermarkets try and 'cheat' their shoppers with false 'offers'

108 replies

Mrsdavidcaruso · 15/04/2014 19:24

I went into one of the big supermarkets today (not sure if I am allowed to name them).

I actually needed dishwasher liquid tabs so was interested in a large display at the end of an aisle 'offering' a pack of 51 tabs for 14 quid. Now there was no RRP ..... or special offer sign but the way they were displayed looked like it was some sort of deal.

However when I went to the aisle where all the dishwasher stuff is kept I saw the same brand in smaller packets of 32 1/2 price at £6.00.

Of course I bought two packs thus getting 64 tabs for £12.00 but if I hadn't checked I may have been tempted to buy the £14 pack in the mistaken belief I was getting a 'good price'.

I wonder how many people were taken in

OP posts:

Pipbin · 15/04/2014 20:54

I suggest shopping online too. That way you have the time to work out what is the best deal.

OnIlkleyMoorBahTwat · 15/04/2014 20:58

They do it on purpose and it is very annoying. My betting is that you were in Tesco, as they are the worst at this, closely followed by Asda.

Dishwasher tablets, pringles, own brand pizza, the list goes on with prices up and down all over the place example.

If the link doesn't work, it was for a box of 26 Finish dishwasher tablets that had varied in price, according to the little graph, between £4 and £10 over the last year .

Wine is another one - all those 'half price' or 3 for a tenner wines that are on offer all the time at about £4/5 are never worth £8-10 per bottle.

Another great thing about shopping in Aldi or Lidl is that they don't go in for these devious 'special offers' and generally stick to a consistent price, that is usually cheaper than the special offer price at other supermarkets.

mummywithsmiles25 · 15/04/2014 20:59

What annoys me is boots wipes the other day they were buy one get one free for 2.45 ....they never sell 1 packet for 2.45 its balls.

wooldonor · 15/04/2014 21:05

It's not a surprise that supermarkets try to get the best deal for themselves is it? They only exist to make a profit. As others have said it's much easier to compare prices nowadays as everywhere displays the price per 100g or unit of whatever you're buying

Caveat emptor

itsnothingoriginal · 15/04/2014 21:05

I know it's not a new thing but it's still shifty and underhand tactics in my opinion and some supermarkets are much worse for it than others.

I have totally stopped shopping at Tesco as they are by far the worst culprit as far as I'm concerned All those yellow stickers purporting to be 'deals' but when you work them out they are really only a few pence cheaper or you have to multi-buy to get a discount worth having.. I don't want to take a fucking calculator around with me to work out the deals when I do my shop every week

No YANBU at all - drives me mad too as you might guess!!

Pipbin · 15/04/2014 21:12

What annoys me is boots wipes the other day they were buy one get one free for 2.45 ....they never sell 1 packet for 2.45 its balls.

I used to hate their bogof offer on sun screen. I never needed two, but they were so expensive. I think now it's half price.

YouTheCat · 15/04/2014 22:27

I just buy what I need unless something really is a good offer (rare) and isn't perishable. That way I don't end up with cupboards full of stuff I won't use or that will get chucked. I especially hate offers on fresh bread. I haven't room in my freezer for the extra so I buy one loaf at a time.

MammaTJ · 16/04/2014 04:24

Tesco had an 'offer' today of 12 babybels for £3. They also had a non offer of a pack of 6 for £1. I bought two packs of 6.

Romy75 · 16/04/2014 06:46

I used to work for a supermarket as a student.

Their prices fluctuate.

They put the prices up just before doing 'special offers'. So the biscuits that are £1.50 for one or £2.50 for two were actually just £1 last week.

As other posters have stated, you regularly have to work out if the multipack is in fact cheaper than buying several single packs. I stand there and do the calculations.

sebsmummy1 · 16/04/2014 06:55

Yep, they are absolutely out to confuse you.

It becomes patently obvious when it happens to goods you buy regularly. For example, I buy a four pack of beer every fortnight, same brand, for OH. When it is out of a deal it is £4.50, directly it goes into a deal it is priced at £4.99, 2 x £9.00. So I have to pay an extra 49p to buy one, or buy toe for exactly the same price as it was the week previously. REALLY pisses me off.

sebsmummy1 · 16/04/2014 06:56

^Two

WhoAteAllTheCremeEggs · 16/04/2014 07:02

I used to stock up on washing powder and dishwasher tabs when they were of offer now I look on mysupermarket there is always a good offer somewhere no need to fill my cupboards to bursting or pay full price.

roundtable · 16/04/2014 07:02

They all do it, not just supermarkets.

My husband is always boggled by how long it takes me to shop but I always work out if the offer is a real one or not.

This week in boots 2 packs of huggies pure wipes for £2.49 placed at the shoppers eyeline. Look down and apack of 4 huggies pure wipes were £3.50. Friend was telling me how she thought the wipes were a con (she'd only noticed the first offer) and how she always bought hers from lidls which cost a pound.

I think it's important to have a bank of prices memorised or written down of you can't remember to work out whether it's worth buying something or going elsewhere.

Btw, don't buy your cereal at the 99p shop. I bought some the other day and noticed it was 500g whereas the supermarket brands are only about 20p more than that for 750g. In fact most of the goods at the 99p shop is a false economy imo.

FrigginRexManningDay · 16/04/2014 07:10

I see it as my weekly brain challenge. Of course supermarkets are not there to solely provide for customers, they want to make a profit.

PostmanPatAlwaysRingsTwice · 16/04/2014 07:13

All you mercenary shoppers working out how not to give Tesco more of your money than you have to, look what you've done

mateysmum · 16/04/2014 07:17

One big reason why I stopped shopping at Tesco is that the offers were just bonkers and confusing - and I used to run the promtional programme for a major retailer! They would have about 4 different offers on say chicken fillets and I just couldn't be arsed to waste my life working them all out to see which was cheapest.

I went to Morrisons yesterday and they had lots of 1/2 price type offers which are great.

Of course genuine anomalies will arise as offers will be on one pack size and not another - caveat emptor I'm afraid.

Undercurrent · 16/04/2014 07:44

The aisle I especially hate is the crisps one. 4 for the price of 3 on some, 3 for 2 on others. You have to keep going up and down the aisle to compare. And the 'healthy' crisps are never seem to be on offer. I usually only shop with a basket and want one packet but end up with the 'deal' overflowing my basket.

OnIlkleyMoorBahTwat · 16/04/2014 07:49

YY undercurrent, if you try to buy one packet of crisps, it costs loads more. I think in our co-op one bag, which is slightly larger than the multibuy bags, costs 60p, but you can often get six for a pound.

Asda/Tesco are the worst, selling literally sacks of crisps.

Goblinchild · 16/04/2014 07:59

I use the Sainsbury's pricing by the 100g to decide if something is a bargain, it's the simplest way for me. I also enjoy BOGOFs because I split the extra with my parents. It's a way of supporting them for free, and they don't feel they need to pay me back.
You could always BOGOF or do the deals and donate to the food bank for many of the items, or talk with a neighbour or two.

Retropear · 16/04/2014 08:05

I do the 100g thing and Sainsbos are quite good re displaying it.

Tesco- whole different story.They purposely leave 100g weight age off many shelf labels.

theonewiththevoodoo · 16/04/2014 08:08

i always look at the price per 100g so that i can work it out. Ive also started shopping at the wholesaler, though i know this isnt available to everyone.

i look at the price of everything....anything i pay over what i could have paid, i view as a 'stupidity tax'

RuthlessBaggage · 16/04/2014 08:09

Morrison's price fruit and veg differently depending on loose/packed - loose is per kg, but packed is sometimes given per unit, so you have to weigh the bag to work out if the price is any good.

Tanith · 16/04/2014 08:23

Re: Waitrose
DH once pointed out to our local manager that their offer on Pizzas actually meant they were giving them away to customers who bought 2 at a time!

They changed it, fast

AreWeThereYeti · 16/04/2014 08:32

It is not always possible to compare the costs of different items even if you are a maths genius. Apples can be priced per fruit or by weight. Throw in a buy one get one half price and your stuffed. Waitrose do this.

They puposefully do this so that it confuses you, there is no other reason.

AreWeThereYeti · 16/04/2014 08:35

Best thing is to have shares in whichever supermarket you use then you won't mind their shameless profiteering quite so much.

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