Supermarket price survey

Doctor Glyndwr · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 32624

OK, as discussed in the "how much do you earn thread", let's do this.

Sometime in the next few days, go to a supermarket and record the prices of the small selection of goods below. Then post here with the first part of the supermarket's postcode, the name of the branch, and the prices you record. We'll collate the data as we go along. If it's one of the smaller local supermarkets (Tesco Express, Sainsburys Local, etc) make sure you mention that -- we know those places are more expensive. Make a note if the item in question is on price promotion. If you can't be arsed to do them all (or can't find some of the items), just do the ones you can.

If something is on a buy-X-for-Y type price promotion, record the non-promotional price, not the offer.

Copy-and-paste form to fill in:

Quote:

Supermarket name:
Supermarket postcode:

Prices:-
Loose onions, price per 100g:
Loose bananas:

Pre-packed 500g minced beef (normal, not lean or "extra lean"):
Pre-packed own-brand skinless/boneless chicken breast (pack of 4 or 5), price per 100g:
(Both should be the "normal" supermarket own brand, not the cheaper "value" type)

4 pints of own-brand semi-skimmed milk (make a note if it's a two litre bottle instead):
One 250g pack of Anchor butter:

2 litre bottle of Coca-cola:

Pack of six large free-range eggs:

500g box of Kellog's Corn Flakes:

Kingsmill "Great Everyday" white sliced bread (800g loaf):

Birdseye box of 4 Southern Fried Chicken (frozen):
Young's Chip Shop frozen "4 Large Fish Fillets in Crisp Bubbly Batter":

I think that's short enough to be doable in a few minutes but enough stuff to be representative. Suggestions on additions or deletions from the list are welcome.

GazChap · **Posted:** Tue Jul 19, 2011 9:55

Might want to specify sizes for the Anchor butter and Corn Flakes, Doc. 250g and 500g are the sizes I see most for the butter.

Or are you asking us to check the "price per <unit>" figure on the price tag?

GazChap · **Posted:** Tue Jul 19, 2011 9:56

Would also suggest adding potatoes and bread to the list too.

Cras · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 49237

500g packs of butter? Wut? Do you live in crazytown?

Doctor Glyndwr · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 32624

Good point on the butter and Corn Flakes, fixed now.

GazChap · **Posted:** Tue Jul 19, 2011 10:04

Craster wrote:

500g packs of butter? Wut? Do you live in crazytown?

I think that does depend on the shop - Morrisons in Shrewsbury is the only place I've ever seen 500g packs of butter (not Anchor, though) - every where else does 250g packs, but 500g tubs.

Trooper · **Joined:** 4th Mar, 2010 **Posts:** 22368

What we need is some sort of online form to fill in on our iphones as we ponce around the shop.

Grim?

Cras · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 49237

GazChap wrote:

500g tubs.

Of butter? Not margerine or spread?

Trooper · **Joined:** 4th Mar, 2010 **Posts:** 22368

Butter comes in 125g blocks in the main, doesn't it?

Cras · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 49237

No!

So much poor understanding of butter in this thread. It's like I don't know any of you.

Warhead · Noob as of 6/8/10

No, water comes in the main.

Doctor Glyndwr · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 32624

GazChap wrote:

Would also suggest adding potatoes and bread to the list too.

Potatoes might be difficult to control the brand and type of. I'll add bread though.

MaliA · **Posted:** Tue Jul 19, 2011 10:11

Trooper wrote:

Butter comes in 125g blocks in the main, doesn't it?

Butter comes from cows.

Trooper · **Joined:** 4th Mar, 2010 **Posts:** 22368

Craster wrote:

No!

So much poor understanding of butter in this thread. It's like I don't know any of you.

<goes to fridge>

250g blocks!

Trooper · **Joined:** 4th Mar, 2010 **Posts:** 22368

Warhead wrote:

No, water comes in the main.

Trooper · **Joined:** 4th Mar, 2010 **Posts:** 22368

MaliA wrote:

Trooper wrote:

Butter comes in 125g blocks in the main, doesn't it?

Butter comes from cows.

Only in the same way that cake does.

MaliA · **Posted:** Tue Jul 19, 2011 10:13

Trooper wrote:

MaliA wrote:

Trooper wrote:

Butter comes in 125g blocks in the main, doesn't it?

Butter comes from cows.

Only in the same way that cake does.

Tehre ain't nothing sweet on the Isle of Wight

MaliA · **Posted:** Tue Jul 19, 2011 10:14

Question: What sort of mince and chicken breast?

Doctor Glyndwr · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 32624

MaliA wrote:

Question: What sort of mince and chicken breast?

Normal mince, not lean or extra lean. And standard skinless/boneless chicken breast.

Trooper · **Joined:** 4th Mar, 2010 **Posts:** 22368

MaliA wrote:

Question: What sort of mince and chicken breast?

Good question. Are we talking cheapest, leanest, etc...

Doctor Glyndwr · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 32624

Trooper wrote:

Are we talking cheapest, leanest, etc...

Hmm, there is the question of the "value" type ones. How should we spec this?

MaliA · **Posted:** Tue Jul 19, 2011 10:18

Doctor Glyndwr wrote:

Trooper wrote:

Are we talking cheapest, leanest, etc...

Hmm, there is the question of the "value" type ones. How should we spec this?

"own brand free range, boneless chicken breast x4"
"Own brand steak mince, 500g"

maybe?

MrChris · **Joined:** 1st Apr, 2008 **Posts:** 30498

The Grocer magazine does something similar, but as a comparison across supermarkets (it's surprisin how much more expensive Tesco is than you think). Their selection of items is quite representative each week. I'll have a rummage.

Gah - their online thing is subscription only, and I only got the paper version by virtue of the law firm I worked at.

Trooper · **Joined:** 4th Mar, 2010 **Posts:** 22368

Mr Kissyfur wrote:

The Grocer magazine does something similar, but as a comparison across supermarkets (it's surprisin how much more expensive Tesco is than you think). Their selection of items is quite representative each week. I'll have a rummage.

I wonder how that works, if supermarkets have different prices in different regions...

Could it be that they have the same prices across all their supermarkets!

flis · **Joined:** 26th May, 2008 **Posts:** 3333

I don't want to play this game. I think it will depress me....

Add petrol prices to that list though, maybe? Shouldn't be too hard to get a pic of the board at the filling station you use most regularly?

We do most of our shopping online at Tesco. Is what you said about the prices, right Doccy G? You have to log on before you can start shopping so I always assumed they base the prices on your postcode and nearest store? I reckon we pay more at our Tesco than you guys do at yours but it'd be interesting to see.

I do try to buy local products where available too, for instance, dairy products, bread, meat is all produced locally. I'm pretty sure that until Tesco came here, you couldn't buy another brand of bread or fresh milk.

MrChris · **Joined:** 1st Apr, 2008 **Posts:** 30498

Trooper wrote:

Mr Kissyfur wrote:

The Grocer magazine does something similar, but as a comparison across supermarkets (it's surprisin how much more expensive Tesco is than you think). Their selection of items is quite representative each week. I'll have a rummage.

I wonder how that works, if supermarkets have different prices in different regions...

Could it be that they have the same prices across all their supermarkets!

I think they do it for stores in roughly the same area, from memory.

Trooper · **Joined:** 4th Mar, 2010 **Posts:** 22368

flis wrote:

I don't want to play this game. I think it will depress me....

Add petrol prices to that list though, maybe? Shouldn't be too hard to get a pic of the board at the filling station you use most regularly?

We do most of our shopping online at Tesco. Is what you said about the prices, right Doccy G? You have to log on before you can start shopping so I always assumed they base the prices on your postcode and nearest store? I reckon we pay more at our Tesco than you guys do at yours but it'd be interesting to see.

I do try to buy local products where available too, for instance, dairy products, bread, meat is all produced locally. I'm pretty sure that until Tesco came here, you couldn't buy another brand of bread or fresh milk.

Petrol prices will differ slightly across regions, but mainly due to proximity to other petrol stations.

It would be interesting to compare IOM against the mainland, as that is one situation I would assume prices will be higher due to having to get goods to the arse end of nowhere

MaliA · **Posted:** Tue Jul 19, 2011 10:27

Trooper wrote:

flis wrote:

I don't want to play this game. I think it will depress me....

Add petrol prices to that list though, maybe? Shouldn't be too hard to get a pic of the board at the filling station you use most regularly?

We do most of our shopping online at Tesco. Is what you said about the prices, right Doccy G? You have to log on before you can start shopping so I always assumed they base the prices on your postcode and nearest store? I reckon we pay more at our Tesco than you guys do at yours but it'd be interesting to see.

I do try to buy local products where available too, for instance, dairy products, bread, meat is all produced locally. I'm pretty sure that until Tesco came here, you couldn't buy another brand of bread or fresh milk.

Petrol prices will differ slightly across regions, but mainly due to proximity to other petrol stations.

It would be interesting to compare IOM against the mainland, as that is one situation I would assume prices will be higher due to having to get goods to the arse end of nowhere

There is a website that does this.

MrChris · **Joined:** 1st Apr, 2008 **Posts:** 30498

MaliA wrote:

Doctor Glyndwr wrote:

Trooper wrote:

Are we talking cheapest, leanest, etc...

Hmm, there is the question of the "value" type ones. How should we spec this?

"own brand free range, boneless chicken breast x4"
"Own brand steak mince, 500g"

maybe?

Yeah - the chicken breast one is definitely important to specify, as if you don't specify the pack size, the price per 100g is going to vary wildly (obviously a pack of two will have a higher pp100g than a pack of

.

Alarm · **Posted:** Tue Jul 19, 2011 10:29

"Frozen fish portions in batter (state pack size too)"
What type of fish? Cheap old pollock or cod, or just "fish" (which usually means pollock, in my limited experience of fish).

Trooper · **Joined:** 4th Mar, 2010 **Posts:** 22368

Can we assume from this thread that Danielle does the shopping...

Doctor Glyndwr · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 32624

flis wrote:

We do most of our shopping online at Tesco. Is what you said about the prices, right Doccy G? You have to log on before you can start shopping so I always assumed they base the prices on your postcode and nearest store? I reckon we pay more at our Tesco than you guys do at yours but it'd be interesting to see.

Tesco do that, but Asda's website doesn't -- it'll quote prices without logging in or entering a postcode.

Mr Kissyfur wrote:

Yeah - the chicken breast one is definitely important to specify, as if you don't specify the pack size, the price per 100g is going to vary wildly (obviously a pack of two will have a higher pp100g than a pack of

.

D'oh, yes, of course. I've made it this now:

Quote:

Pre-packed 500g minced beef (normal, not lean or "extra lean"):
Pre-packed own-brand skinless/boneless chicken breast (pack of 4 or 5), price per 100g:
(Both should be the "normal" supermarket own brand, not the cheaper "value" type)

I think that'll cope with the fact that chicken breasts have different weights without skewing it too far. Agree?

Trooper wrote:

Can we assume from this thread that Danielle does the shopping...

No, I do all the shopping (and the cooking), but I shop by what looks good rather than what brand it is or how much it costs

Alarm wrote:

"Frozen fish portions in batter (state pack size too)"
What type of fish? Cheap old pollock or cod, or just "fish" (which usually means pollock, in my limited experience of fish).

I struggled with this one too. A common brand would be better, wouldn't it? How about "Young's 2 Fish Fillet Steaks" -- I think most places would stock those?

MrChris · **Joined:** 1st Apr, 2008 **Posts:** 30498

Oh, also - if any of the products aee on offer, obviously we need to record the non-offer price. Right?

Doctor Glyndwr · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 32624

Mr Kissyfur wrote:

Oh, also - if any of the products aee on offer, obviously we need to record the non-offer price. Right?

Dammit, I thought this then forgot to write it down. Yes.

MrChris · **Joined:** 1st Apr, 2008 **Posts:** 30498

Doctor Glyndwr wrote:

Alarm wrote:

"Frozen fish portions in batter (state pack size too)"
What type of fish? Cheap old pollock or cod, or just "fish" (which usually means pollock, in my limited experience of fish).

I struggled with this one too. A common brand would be better, wouldn't it? How about "Young's 2 Fish Fillet Steaks" -- I think most places would stock those?

That links to a search result with 42 items.

How's about something simple, like Birsdseye fishfingers, pack of ten? Or Youngs Scampi?

Cras · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 49237

Beex. Over-complicating things since 2008.

MrChris · **Joined:** 1st Apr, 2008 **Posts:** 30498

Craster wrote:

Beex. Over-complicating things since 2008.

Damnit man this is SCIENCE. You can't overcomplicate SCIENCE.

Doctor Glyndwr · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 32624

Mr Kissyfur wrote:

That links to a search result with 42 items.

Pesky Asda website won't allow deep linking. I've amended the original post to Young's 4 Large Chip-Shop Fish Fillets. I think they're pretty commonly available.

Craster wrote:

Beex. Over-complicating things since 2008.

Oooooh yeeeaahhh.

Joans · **Joined:** 31st Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 8653

I'll put this in this thread instead.

Whenever I've looked, which isn't very often, Tesco online prices match those in store. Sometimes the store doesn't seem to have the same offers as the website, but for general prices they seem to be consistent.

MaliA · **Posted:** Tue Jul 19, 2011 10:50

Joans wrote:

I'll put this in this thread instead.

Whenever I've looked, which isn't very often, Tesco online prices match those in store. Sometimes the store doesn't seem to have the same offers as the website, but for general prices they seem to be consistent.

ANECDOTES != DATA SAYS GAYWOOD

Trooper · **Joined:** 4th Mar, 2010 **Posts:** 22368

http://www.tesco.com/talkingtesco/lowPrices/

Quote:

Fair prices

We understand that customers want low prices, but they also want fair prices. That is why we charge the same prices up and down the country. We sell our products on the basis of a national price list available for all to see on our website. Even in the few locations that are unable to support more than one supermarket, where we are ‘the only supermarket in a town’, we continue to operate on the basis of our national price list.

Prices in smaller stores

Our prices are a little higher in some of our town centre and neighbourhood stores because costs are higher there. Stores in town centres are typically smaller and have higher overhead costs (mainly rents and rates) per square foot of selling space than those outside the centre. Higher overhead costs are spread over a smaller volume of sales, and can only be recouped by charging prices that are, on average, higher (prices are on average 2-3% higher in our Express stores and in a few of our Metro stores than in our larger stores on the edge or outside town centres). We believe it would be unfair to use our big stores to subsidise the prices in our smaller stores, so we don’t do it. This way everyone gets a fair deal.

Cras · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 49237

MaliA wrote:

ANECDOTES != DATA SAYS GAYWOOD

This is though:

Quote:

Fair prices

We understand that customers want low prices, but they also want fair prices. That is why we charge the same prices up and down the country. We sell our products on the basis of a national price list available for all to see on our website. Even in the few locations that are unable to support more than one supermarket, where we are ‘the only supermarket in a town’, we continue to operate on the basis of our national price list.

Prices in smaller stores

Our prices are a little higher in some of our town centre and neighbourhood stores because costs are higher there. Stores in town centres are typically smaller and have higher overhead costs (mainly rents and rates) per square foot of selling space than those outside the centre. Higher overhead costs are spread over a smaller volume of sales, and can only be recouped by charging prices that are, on average, higher (prices are on average 2-3% higher in our Express stores and in a few of our Metro stores than in our larger stores on the edge or outside town centres). We believe it would be unfair to use our big stores to subsidise the prices in our smaller stores, so we don’t do it. This way everyone gets a fair deal.

http://www.tesco.com/talkingtesco/lowPrices/

Cras · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 49237

Haha! Hi5, Trooper!

Doctor Glyndwr · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 32624

Oh, good find!

Cras · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 49237

We even cut the exact same quote.

Trooper · **Joined:** 4th Mar, 2010 **Posts:** 22368

Mr Russell · **Joined:** 6th Apr, 2008 **Posts:** 12329

Wouldn't it be good if someone here worked for a subsidiary of Tesco (One Stop) and could tell you for fact that each individual store has a maintained price file.

Doctor Glyndwr · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 32624

Could that person also explain what a "maintained price file" is?

flis · **Joined:** 26th May, 2008 **Posts:** 3333

Longines Symphonette wrote:

Wouldn't it be good if someone here worked for a subsidiary of Tesco (One Stop) and could tell you for fact that each individual store has a maintained price file.

If only....We're never that lucky though.

ZOMG Spoiler! Click here to view!

:p

Trooper · **Joined:** 4th Mar, 2010 **Posts:** 22368

Longines Symphonette wrote:

Wouldn't it be good if someone here worked for a subsidiary of Tesco (One Stop) and could tell you for fact that each individual store has a maintained price file.

Sure, but i'm not sure what that would have to do with all the prices in all Tesco stores across the country being the same

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