Yip A whole Thread about Tesco Breaded Haddock

[WatchTheHolly]

Okay I'm feeling a bit outraged this morning. Over Fish!

Tesco Frozen Haddock Fillets 500g - it was £3.5 for a while. Then recently it went up to £4 which was quite a jump - about 12.5% This was recently as in the last 3 months because I am still smarting from the increase when I buy it.

Doing my Tesco Shop just now and it's gone up again to £4.40. So another jump of 10%

So in the last 3 months this box of fish has gone up 22.5%

And people wonder why they are struggling to control their food shop bill.

What can have happened to cause such a large increase over 12 weeks approx.

YANBU - Tesco are raking in the profits and putting up the price
YABU - Tesco are suffering this much in increased costs and having to pass it on to customers

Yes, I expect they theorise that, the longer you are dithering at the shelf working out whether the price per 100g is cheaper buying the large one, or two smaller ones that have a 50p Clubcard discount, the more likely you are to spot something you hadn't intended to buy at all and impulsively add it to your trolley.

Yes I would agree with this. Better not speak too soon!

I know what you mean. Fish Fingers used to be a go to staple for something quick and easy, relatively healthy and not too expensive.

Birds Eye have always been a rip off mind and even worse when they use that horrible tasteless bland pollock fish inside. You have to be careful you are buying the haddock or cod ones.

Yes it done up but whether Tesco are being reasonable is actually down to whether the wholesale price of fish plus whatever other ingredients are used to make them have increased and thus the supplier has put up the price to Tesco (Tesco aren’t actually making them themselves). Plus distribution costs and staffing for stores, utilities. It seems a big jump but if wholesale haddock is up 25% it would explain it, I just don’t actually know anything about the price of fish!

That's okay. Happy to be told i didn't calculate it right. In all fairness I just did it roughly in my head.

Yes I'll be looking out for the two for £8 bargain or clubcard price to kick in soon.

Perhaps I won't buy it till that happens. So much game playing to get your weekly food shop.

Oh really. I do prefer the breaded ones as they seem healthier but I will definately check the battered ones out to see the difference in fish content, fat content etc. Thanks for the tip!

It's true. My food shop often takes far longer than it should as I compare prices and look at offers for the week. Other times I just can't be bothered and simply copy over last weeks basket (online shopping, not in the actual shop obviously).

You are probably right. Plus of course increase in NI on companies per RR budget. I don't actually mind them making a profit. I don't enjoy feeling like we are being treated like complete mugs though.

Two large increases in such a small time period just felt it had crossed over into 'taking the piss'

Dont go mad stocking up when its cheap. Our dogs favourite food increased in price by steady increments until it was almost impossible to buy . I found it in Home Bargains ( on a Christmas Decoration hunt trip) for almost half price. I ditched the decorations and bought 3 months supply of said dog food., saving almost £30 in the transaction. 2 weeks later and my dog was rushed to vet £3000+ later he was diagnosed as diabetict We were advised to change his dog food to specialist feed and ended giving our stockpile to the local doggy food bank. So didn't save much after all.

Breaded fish are processed in a factory. Labour is paid at minimum wage so the recent increases plus employer NI increases at the processing factory, plus energy costs for freezing and frozen distribution, plus pay rises for warehousing staff plus as you say at Tesco all impact on the final price.
That's before you even look at cost of fish.
Unfortunately we have traditionally been a country with relatively low wages in what are defined as unskilled jobs so any increases will have a big impact on end price at the supermarket

Many years ago I concluded that my time was worth more than the cost of any savings. That might change when I retire.

That's interesting. Several years ago Waitrose used to sell 3 for £10 (it might even have been 3 for £8 at one point) of their version of the M&S ones. They then changed to something like 2 for £8 then increased the price for 2 to £10. They're now on offer at 3 for £12. I wish Ocado still worked with Waitrose rather than M&S.

Yes, indeed. I bought 4 bags of cat food on a club card deal at Tescos. Half a bag down the line, my cats decided they didn't like it (had been happily eating it before) and were simply ignoring its presence in their food bowls. I'll donate the unopened bags so they won't go to waste, but an expensive lesson.

I hope your dog is doing OK on his special diet now.

Interesting I should see this today...

I did a food shop in Tesco today, for the first time in MONTHS.

I used to always do my food shop there, but then moved to the other side of town and it was no longer convenient. I now use mostly Asda, and a tiny amount of Waitrose.

I was really surprised by the prices in Tesco today. I was looking at a box of Maltesers for my mum. Just the small box. It was often available for £1 from the likes of Poundland not THAT many years ago. And even in Tesco, it would be maybe £1.50. Anyway, today if was £3. That just seemed like a lot to me.

Is there a tool or app that will do price comparisons for a produce across several supermarkets?

Gah, I hit the wrong vote button! But YANBU! It’s all getting ridiculous now. Every single hike in price is pushed onto the consumer while supermarkets rake in the profits 😡

Food prices are increasing at a scary rate. But I wonder if your haddock increases are anything to do with stock shortage?

“Market and Stock Status in 2025
Haddock is a commercially important species, but stocks have faced challenges in recent years.
Stock Concerns: Recent ICES advice has indicated declining stocks in some areas, and fishing pressure has been above sustainable levels, leading to recommendations for zero catch in certain regions and years (e.g., in 2026 for Area 7a haddock).
Supply Issues: The market has experienced significant shortages in supply and high prices due to reduced quotas and other external factors, such as sanctions on Russian fishing companies.”

We occasionally get fish and chips usually when dh has a hospital appt which is an hour away normally at 4.30 so easier to have that. It was £17. for 2 fish and 1 chips i thought that was extortionate but sucked it up as a very rare treat. But we had it again on Thursday £19.65 I even asked the chap if he'd got my order right. He had so that's the end of that particular meal.

What really p*sses me off is that our government (Ireland ) was giving Irish consumers of electricity €250 in 2 separate instalments of €125 to help with their electricity bills in 2024 and 2025 as energy costs had increased so much.This money was automatically applied to the bills.
Meanwhile the energy companies were making huge profits.
So the taxpayers were giving money to the government which they then used to give to the energy companies.
Instead of the government saying to the energy companies - “Hang on a minute. You are putting up your prices to the poor consumer while making insane profits. STOP ! “

It's the nectar deals. They are actually really good.

It's the same everywhere. Either the price goes up or the packet gets smaller for the same price, then the price goes up for the smaller packet.

Tesco beef brisket was £8 a kg not that long ago.
it is £17 a kg now 😡

Tesco's Nescafe Gold Blend Instant Coffee 190g was £6.75 in October - this week it is £7.80.

In a week or two, I anticipate a price reduction to "price match" one of the other supermarkets.

Tesco choc ices on a stick are £2.10 this week - these go up an down all the time, in August they were only £1.39.

I think you mean 'batter' not speak too soon...

Sorry, sorry, I'll get my coat...

YABU.

I live in a fishing town. Everything has gone up massively. Commercial rents, NI for employees, the cost of fuel for the boats.