The major supermarkets have announced their quarterly sales results this week. With prices on the rise, are you cutting back on food spending? Do you feel that you’re paying a fair price at the checkout?
Tesco and Sainbury’s have announced increased sales over the Christmas period. As reliance on supermarkets seems to be growing and budgets are stretched, many of us are probably questioning whether we’re paying a fair price for our weekly shop.
I’ve been counting the cost of my Christmas spending and taking a fresh look at my budget. It’s clear to see that food is taking up more and more of my spending each month, but I don’t think I’m buying more than I used to.
Food, glorious food
Our latest research found that four in 10 people are planning to cut back on food and groceries over the next few months. We also discovered that three-quarters are worried about rising food prices.
Surely the supermarkets can help make things better? The Institution of Mechanical Engineers has published saddening figures about food waste, with one likely cause being buy-one-get-one free offers. It seems as though many of us buy food on a multibuy offer, only to find that we can’t eat it all before the expiry date.
Multibuy mayhem
It would be a lot simpler to shop on a budget in supermarkets if it was easy to spot genuine bargains. Faced with multibuy offers, I sometimes struggle to work out if I’m getting value for money because the unit prices are not displayed consistently.
I often forget to bring my own shopping bags, so the chances of me also remembering to bring a calculator are pretty slim.
We need the supermarkets to have clear policies on special offers. They should be easy-to-understand and a genuine bargain.
Are you expecting to cut back on food spending this year? Does your supermarket make it easy for you to spot the best offers and save money?
Are you planning to cut your spending on food and drink this year?
No (45%, 110 Votes)
Yes (40%, 98 Votes)
I'm not sure (16%, 39 Votes)
Total Voters: 249
