SAINSBURY’S and Tesco have pledged to keep a major change in all of their supermarkets – and shoppers will be divided.
The government has delayed its plan to ban buy-one-get-one-free (BOGOF) offers on junk food.
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Ministers had originally planned to ban multibuy offers on all food and drink high in fat, salt, or sugar (HFSS) across BOGOF, “3 for 2” and free drinks refills.
It had been due to come into force this October in a long-planned government obesity crackdown, but will now not start until October 2025.
But supermarket giants Tesco and Sainsbury’s have both confirmed that they will continue with their voluntary ban on these deals despite the delay.
Tesco started clamping down on the deals in October last year, and said it doesn’t have plans to bring them back anytime soon.
Tesco group chief product officer Ashwin Prasad said: “Tesco will continue to offer great value on products across the entire store, so customers won’t have to purchase more food than they need to access great value.”
Meanwhile Sainsbury’s banned multi-buys on HFSS products in 2016, and it will remain in place going forward.
Restrictions on where shops can display junk food came into effect on October 1 last year.
It means shoppers will no longer see sweet treats on offer near any entry point or checkout.
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It was introduced in a bid to curb unnecessary intake of unhealthy items.
The government said the change has been made in response to shoppers facing rising prices and cost-of-living pressures.
How can I save on my supermarket shop?
It’s not just about heading to the cheapest supermarket to save money on your shop.
There’s a number of ways you can cut costs and drive down your grocery bills.
Making a list before you head out to do your food shopping is always a good start as you’ll be less likely to make any rash purchases.
Buying supermarkets’ own-brand goods instead of higher end more notable brands could save you a few pounds too.
Some supermarkets run “wonky” veg schemes, where you pay less for fresh produce that’s misshapen or imperfect.
Lidl, for example, has its Waste Not scheme where you can get a whopping five kilos of fruit and veg for just £1.50.
Checking how much a product costs based on quantity could save you some money.
You might be tempted to opt for a bigger box or packaging because you think you will get more.
But you should always check the price per kg/lb/litre so you’re making a like-for-like decision.
A lot of supermarkets run loyalty schemes, where you can build up points to spend on a later shop.
For example, Sainsbury’s has its Nectar Card and Tesco has its Clubcard.
Plus, look out for yellow or red stickers on food products that show they’ve been reduced.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing [email protected]
