How much does cost influence what goes in to your shopping trolley? From convenient snacks that you can make yourself to bags of herbs that end up wasted, we want to know which items you’ve found too costly to bother buying.
Take popcorn as an example. It’s often touted as a trendy snack, but buying a small bag while on the go is a pricey option compared to popping kernels yourself at home.
And when you consider how much you’re actually getting in each bag of flavoured popcorn for the amount you’re spending, it just doesn’t seem worth the money.
Personally, I always feel annoyed at having to fork out a couple of quid for fresh bags of herbs. Not only are they overpriced, but I also end up using a few leaves and then watching the rest slowly wilt in the fridge.
The price tags that put you off
Do any of these examples ring true for you? We’d like to enlist your help to find the most expensive supermarket foods and see how the cost of everyday items stacks up against luxury goods. When compared gram for gram, it will be interesting to see if some food items are as ridiculously overpriced as the printer ink which costs more than vintage Champagne!
Is there anything you avoid buying when you’re out food shopping because you can’t justify the expense? Have you been in a supermarket and picked something up, only to put it down immediately after seeing its price tag or even spotted a similar product in another aisle for less money?
On the flip side, maybe there’s something that’s pricey but worth it? Is higher quality or ethically produced food worth the money for you? Or perhaps there’s a good reason why certain foods are more expensive – is the price of saffron justifiable given the amount you use and its exclusivity, for example?
Featured Comment
How do you cut food costs?
Buying in bulk can be a great way to save money on expensive food items, especially with ‘convenience’ foods like small bags of nuts, which are much costlier per gram than larger bags. And savvy staff here at Which? tell me that you can pick up big bags of spices for a similar cost to the piddly portion you get in brand-name jars.
But – as some Which? members have told us – this isn’t always an option for people who live alone or those with limited cupboard and freezer space. And if you don’t use everything you buy, it can also lead to a lot of food waste.
We’d love to hear how you save money on your food shop. Perhaps you have some DIY solutions to help others save money – and some handy tricks to keep buying those special items at a fraction of the cost…