SUPERMARKET pricing tricks mean shoppers can pay FOUR times as much for a product one day compared to another.
The tactic is highlighted in a probe by Which? after they analysed more than a million prices for 493 branded grocery items at six major supermarkets – Asda, Morrisons, Ocado, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Waitrose – throughout 2020.
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Aside from finding sneaky pricing differences, the investigation concluded bargain hunters should head to Asda, which was consistently the cheapest.
Lavazza Qualita Rossa Ground Coffee (250g) at Ocado had the most dramatic price difference, as the investigation found shoppers could pay almost four times more for the same product on different days.
It was at its cheapest price of £1.30 for 63 days in 2020, however for more than a third of the year (130 days), it cost an eye-watering £5 – a 284 per cent difference for the same product.
Ocado said this price fluctuation was an error that has now been corrected.
The price for Müller yogurts illustrates the so-called “high-low” tactic used by many supermarkets – when prices are dramatically hiked and then slashed at regular intervals.
How supermarkets have fluctuated the pricing of branded products
HERE we look at some of Which?’s findings.
- Lavazza Qualita Rossa Ground Coffee (250g) Ocado’s cheapest price was £1.30 but its most expensive was £5 – a 284% increase.
- Müller Light Greek Luscious Lemon yogurts (4x 120g) Sainsbury’s cheapest price was £1 but its most expensive was £2.75 – a 175% increase.
- Walkers Sensations Crisps Thai Sweet Chilli (150g) Sainbury’s cheapest price was £75p but its most expensive was £2 – a 167% increase.
- Carte D’Or Vanilla ice cream (1 litre) Asda’s cheapest price was £1.50 but its most expensive was £3.50 – a 133% increase.
- Loyd Grossman Tomato and Basil Sauce (350g) Asda’s cheapest price was 88p but its most expensive was £1.98 – a 125% increase.
- Shloer Red Grape Juice Drink (100ml) Morrisons’ cheapest price was £1 but it’s most expensive price was £2.25 – a 125% increase.
- Jordans Country Crisp Four Nuts Cereal (500g) Tesco’s cheapest price was £1.35 but it’s most expensive price was £3 – a 122% incease.
For example, Müller Light Greek Luscious Lemon yogurts fluctuated substantially at Sainsbury’s during 2020, flipping between £1 and £2.75 – a 175 per cent price difference – at roughly three-week intervals.
The same product was also available for £1 or less in at least one of the major supermarkets for about 85 per cent of the year.
The investigation also analysed pricing at a category level, looking at 19 areas from chocolates to cheese, and found the price for branded cakes and biscuits fluctuated by 48 per cent on average – more than any other category.
In this category, Which? analysed the price of 14 products and found a 10-pack of Cadbury Chocolate Mini Rolls at Asda had the biggest price difference. It cost just £1.20 at its cheapest but was more than double the price at £2.60 on certain days.
Across all 19 categories analysed, Asda had the lowest average prices for branded groceries, making it the best option for shoppers who prefer branded items but do not want to pay over the odds.
Waitrose was the most expensive supermarket for branded items in eight categories including energy drinks, ice cream and tea, and Ocado for seven categories including juice drinks, coffee and cheddar.
Ele Clark, Which? retail editor, said: “Our research reveals just how wildly food and drink prices can fluctuate from day to day, meaning people are at risk of massively overpaying for branded groceries depending on when and where they shop.
“We would recommend keeping an eye on the prices of your favourite products and stocking up when they’re discounted to avoid paying over the odds.”
Apart from Aldi and Lidl, which weren’t included in the investigation as the discounters stocked fewer branded items, Asda was also found to be the cheapest supermarket for a basket of shopping in April 2021.
Asda, Ocado, Tesco and Sainsbury’s said they are dedicated to offering the best possible prices.
Waitrose told the Sun that it is constantly reviewing prices to ensure that it offers the highest quality products at fair prices.
Morrisons has also been contacted by the Sun for comment.
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