FAMILIES doing the weekly food shop are being tricked into spending more of their hard-earned cash by sneaky supermarket tactics.
Price rises have cooled from the painful highs seen in 2022, but the cost of grub is still up six per cent annually, according to the British Retail Consortium.
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And you could be spending thousands of pounds extra a year without realising it. But head to the shops with a few tricks up your sleeve and you can beat this.
Chartered psychologist Dr Louise Goddard-Crawley says: “Once shoppers understand the spending traps set by stores, they are easier to avoid.”
Here Lynsey Hope reveals the sneaky techniques retailers can use.
DON’T PICK UP ITEMS AT COUNTER
IMPULSE buying is more likely when you are waiting in line and small, tempting items near the counter can prompt last-minute purchases.
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Use this time to review your shopping list instead.
AVOID PRODUCTS AT EYE LEVEL
ITEMS at eye level are more likely to be noticed and purchased, so higher priced products are often strategically positioned here.
Take a moment to look up and down the shelves — you might find similar or better purchases at a lower price.
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BEWARE OF MULTI DEALS
“BUY one, get one free” offers encourage bulk buying and make customers feel they are getting better value for money, even if they don’t need the extra quantity.
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Dr Goddard-Crawley says: “Evaluate if you genuinely need the extra item, especially if the additional product will sit at the back of a cupboard or go to waste.”
ROUND UP 99p PRICING
CONSUMERS tend to perceive prices just below a round number as significantly lower, even though the actual difference is minimal, which is why you’ll even see products being sold for £1.98 or £2.99.
Round up prices to assess the real cost.
HEAD TO BACK OF STORE
SHOPS try to steer customers to stay in store as long as possible to increase the chance of you buying. Richard Curry, head of retail at consultants Rapleys, says: “Supermarkets tend to stock essential items that you come in to buy near the back so that you have to pass attractive deals and displays that tempt you to spend.”
BEWARE ‘LIMITED TIME’ OFFERS
RETAILERS use these to create a sense of urgency, prompting quick decision-making and impulse purchases.
Before you buy, take a moment to consider if the deal is genuinely beneficial. If it is a non-essential item, it might be an idea to do the rest of your shop first then only go back if you need it.
DON’T BUY SEASONAL GOODS TOO SOON
ATTRACTIVE window displays and early stocks of seasonal items create a sense of anticipation and urgency to purchase, which is why Easter eggs are already in stores.
Richard advises: “Plan your supermarket purchases based on your needs rather than the retailer’s promotion schedule.”
DOWNSHIFT YOUR BRANDS
PREMIUM products often look most appealing, with nice packaging. Save by moving down just one tier of groceries — whether going from a branded product to a supermarket’s own premium-label alternative, or switching from mid-range to value.
The Sun regularly taste tests products and cheaper supermarket versions often win.
CONSIDER LOYALTY CARDS
SHOPPERS at Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Co-op pay significantly more for the same items if they aren’t signed up to the stores’ loyalty schemes.
Exclusive prices can mean big savings, so it’s worth joining, even if you only shop with these stores occasionally.
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DODGY DELIVERY
IT is not just in stores that you can be caught out.
Items ordered online, particularly loose fresh goods, are often given only an estimated cost at checkout.
Substitutes can also be wildly different from what you ordered.
This means it’s essential to check your final receipt and don’t be afraid to hand items back if the cost is more than expected.
You should also avoid pressure to unload shopping quickly, missing damaged or spoiled items.
‘‘Savvy shopping saved me £25 in first week – that’s £1,300 a year’
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SMALL business owner Rhiannon Abbott spent a week avoiding sneaky tactics and saved £25.
Rhiannon, 41, who lives in Epsom, Surrey, with her husband and two children, aged eight and five, says: “A branded cereal was on offer at the end of the aisle, but I found a cheaper own-brand version on the bottom shelf which saved me over £1.
“The shop took me longer than usual as I was searching around a lot more, but once I get used to where to look, it won’t take me as long.
“I also signed up for an Asda loyalty card and got around £2 cashback that I can take off my next shop.
“Saving £25 in seven days adds up and could amount to £100 a month or £1,300 in a year.”
THE Department for Work and Pensions is to scrap the £20 application fee to use the Child Maintenance Service from February 26.
Currently, only victims of domestic violence and assault can get the fee waived.
The DWP will also wipe existing arrears of £7 or less that any parent owes their ex for their child’s living costs.
DWP Minister Viscount Younger of Leckie said the £20 fee was being axed “so no child misses out because their parents can’t afford to apply”.
Child maintenance covers how a child’s living costs are paid when one parent stays elsewhere.
Separated couples can arrange payments themselves or use the CMS to do it for them. It is commonly used to help survivors of domestic abuse get a fair share to bring up their children.
The DWP is still urging parents wishing to use the CMS not to delay applying as the first payment can take up to 12 weeks.
Government stalls over ‘buy now pay later’ laws
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SHOPPERS could be out of pocket after the Government delayed plans to regulate the Buy Now, Pay Later sector.
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt admitted it is taking “longer than expected” to introduce regulation – and could not confirm if it would be implemented before the next General Election.
There are concerns BNPL firms might leave the UK following regulation.
The Government fears this could limit shoppers’ interest-free options during a cost-of-living crisis.
Stella Creasy, Labour MP for Walthamstow, London, said: “If ministers are concerned BNPL firms won’t be able to turn a profit if we regulate them, that should set alarm bells ringing the public are being treated badly.”
BNPL products allow consumers to defer or spread the cost of purchases over a set time-frame, interest-free.
But if you can’t afford repayments, late fees may be charged.
As the products are not regulated, firms need not follow the same rules as with other credit agreements.
For instance, banks must ensure they do not lend more than customers can afford, but BNPL firms aren’t required to carry out such stringent checks.
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With a regulated firm, consumers are protected by the Financial Ombudsman Service, but BNPL firms aren’t covered. Regulation plans were first announced in 2021.
A Treasury spokesman said: “We must ensure regulation is proportionate to ensure borrowers are protected without unduly restricting access.”
