supermarkets Archives - The Lucre Group

Shrinkflation, Brexit and the Great Weekly Food Shop by Ali Gwynne

Brexit’s here to stay, but what does this mean for the food and drink industry?

According to The Grocer, most households feel food prices have already risen over the last six months, and they’re not wrong as illustrated by the new buzzword, ‘shrinkflation’ – a practice where manufacturers reduce the size of products, but not the price. Towards the end of 2016, many chocolate manufacturers were criticised for their part in shrinkflation with cult favourite, Toblerone, coming under scrutiny for altering the classic shape and size of the product.

With weekly shopping bills set to rise further over the next six months*, almost half of shoppers said they would switch to cheaper own-label alternatives if their weekly food shopping bills rose by 3% – the level experts predict food inflation will hit by the end of the year.

Whether you feel that Brexit and Shrinkflation will affect your weekly shopping habits, we could all benefit by cutting a few pounds off our grocery bill.

Grow your own (herbs, lettuce, tomatoes):

Whether you’re naturally green-fingered, or just fancy the idea of a herb box on your kitchen bench, keeping fresh herbs at home can save you money in the long run when whipping up your favourite dish. If you’re willing to go a step further, then planting lettuces or tomatoes is a good way to go too.

Find own brand products that you like:
When it comes to own brand products, some contain identical ingredients and are even made in the same factory, but it can be a bit hit and miss. Food critic Martin Isark has set up his own website called the supermarketownbrandguide.co.uk where he has reviewed more than 10,000 own-brand products from all the big supermarkets.

Compare prices before you shop:

We tend to be pretty brand-loyal when it comes to food shopping. Grocery comparison website mySupermarket.com helps you compare the cost of your basket at various supermarkets, and is a good way to keep on top of your spending if prices do increase.

Make a list:

It may seem simple, but saving money on your weekly shop can be as simple as making a list and planning your meals in advance to avoid any unnecessary purchases!

Weight it out:

It pays to check the price per kilogram when it comes to buying groceries to be sure you’re getting the best deal. For meats with bones however, be sure to look at the cost per serving instead so the bones and fat included in the weight of the item don’t mislead you.

Do your own slicing and dicing.

Don’t fall into the pre-packaged and single-serve trap, as these are easy mark-up territory. It may be slightly more time consuming, but it’s always cheaper to buy the block of cheese or pineapple and do the chopping yourself.

Take a look at our Waste not, Want not blog that looks at ways you can make the most of the food you have at home, rather than discarding it.

Provenance Vs Price: The Future of British Food by Vickie Rogerson

The discounters are still the darlings of the retail sector and can seemingly do no wrong. Their rapid rise in popularity is continuing to hit the big four’s sales particularly at Asda which is suffering an identity crisis with how it appeals to shoppers since it lost its Low Prices crown.

It’s therefore interesting that both Aldi and Lidl have has come out with marketing campaigns focusing not on price, but on their responsible sourcing credentials.

Aldi’s ‘Everyday Amazing’ TV ad still stays true to Aldi’s cheeky personality with skydiving grannies but highlights that it sells 22,000 British free range chickens every week and all its Specially Selected Scottish Salmon is RSPCA assured.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9z0i-CpEYeQ

This follows Lidl’s ‘Lidl Surprises’ campaign which challenges customer’s misconceptions about its food sourcing by taking them to meet the farmers and producers. The series of ads tells its home-grown story using hero products such as its Deluxe Scotch Assured Beef and Scottish MSC-approved Rope Grown Mussels.

This goes to show that provenance is just as important as price to British shoppers. The narrative about low prices at any cost is well and truly behind us. With Brexit looming large there is lots of discussion about whether leaving the EU will offer an opportunity to British farmers and producers as imported food like cheese, wine and fruit and vegetables become more expensive. Or, is there a risk that we will lose our farming heritage as EU agricultural subsidies are removed?

It’s certainly an interesting time for British food. Lucre is going to explore these issues in more detail with a roundtable event Provenance Vs Price: The Future of British Food at NABIM (National Association of British and Irish Millers) on 6^th October from 3pm-6pm. We’ll have supermarket food trends expert Margaret McSorley Walker talking through some of the unlikely heroes of British food and Bryan Roberts, Global Insights Director at tcc Global looking at what British means to shoppers and retailers.

If you’d like to come, please email vickie@lucre.co.uk.