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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Anyone else notice this?

2 replies

CranfordScones · 12/06/2023 19:06

Sainsbury's used to sell their Sainsbury's Fat Free Natural Yogurt 500g (white and blue pot) for about £1. Alongside that they sold their own Mary Ann's brand cheapo product for about 40p, which was presumably lesser quality.

Now, their own brand pot (identical packaging) is down to 40p (standard price, not offer) and the Mary Ann's has disappeared. I'm guessing they're now selling the Mary Ann's quality stuff under their own brand. It's impossible to know that for sure unless you're a Sainsbury's insider.

But, here's the point: A researcher recording prices for the ONS (or anyone else) is going to see that as a 60% reduction in price. So it shows up as food price deflation in the stats, whereas I suspect it's nothing of the kind.

IABU to think food price inflation is being understated because of stuff like this. We're all seeing our own shopping go up much faster than the headline rate.

Regardless, I think Sainsbury's has lost its way a bit. If the best they can do is advertise ALDI on every shelf then they're obviously out of ideas.

OP posts:
NeverDropYourMooncup · 12/06/2023 19:15

Interesting conspiracy.

Except it's probably just out of stock - as the 35p own brand hasn't any crap in it.

https://www.sainsburys.co.uk/gol-ui/product/sainsburys-low-fat-natural-yogurt--basics-500g

tommika · 12/06/2023 19:18

CranfordScones · 12/06/2023 19:06

Sainsbury's used to sell their Sainsbury's Fat Free Natural Yogurt 500g (white and blue pot) for about £1. Alongside that they sold their own Mary Ann's brand cheapo product for about 40p, which was presumably lesser quality.

Now, their own brand pot (identical packaging) is down to 40p (standard price, not offer) and the Mary Ann's has disappeared. I'm guessing they're now selling the Mary Ann's quality stuff under their own brand. It's impossible to know that for sure unless you're a Sainsbury's insider.

But, here's the point: A researcher recording prices for the ONS (or anyone else) is going to see that as a 60% reduction in price. So it shows up as food price deflation in the stats, whereas I suspect it's nothing of the kind.

IABU to think food price inflation is being understated because of stuff like this. We're all seeing our own shopping go up much faster than the headline rate.

Regardless, I think Sainsbury's has lost its way a bit. If the best they can do is advertise ALDI on every shelf then they're obviously out of ideas.

The quality element wouldn’t impact upon ONS statistics etc as they just track the cost of a range of equivalent items.

https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/inflationandpriceindices/articles/costoflivinginsights/food

In the comparison tool the option is only for a ‘small yogurt’, so (without knowing the specific list of items tracked by ONS) there could be a slight variation in size as to what ‘small’ is, but there will also be a variation in quality (again not knowing if they track specific grades or all ranges yogurts)

With other products the sizing is specified, eg for milk it is 2 litres, which means that if you don’t drink enough milk then your cost of milk will be higher if you’re buying smaller cartons

https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/inflationandpriceindices/articles/shoppingpricescomparisontool/2023-05-03

Cost of living insights - Office for National Statistics

The latest data and trends about the cost of living. Explore changes in the cost of food and how this is affecting people.  

https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/inflationandpriceindices/articles/costoflivinginsights/food

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