Shoppers have been warned that they may be paying more for everyday items at supermarket convenience stores than they would at their bigger counterparts.
Consumer champion Which? said: “We checked the cost of 42 branded and own-label products – from cheese and pasta to blueberries and ice cream – on three occasions in June and July.”
Doing your shopping at a large supermarket as opposed to a convenience store could save you hundreds of pounds per year.
The Which? team found that a grocery shop at Tesco Express set them back £10 (11 per cent) more than the same shop at Tesco supermarkets for loyalty members. Over a year, this could add up to more than £500 extra.
In a similar vein, Britons could expect to pay £16 more for a basket of groceries at Morrisons Daily than at Morrisons supermarkets.
Your grocery shop could cost you more at Tesco Express, Morrisons Daily and Sainsbury’s local than their supermarket counterparts
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As for Sainsbury’s shoppers, the basket of 42 items would have totalled around £11 (14 per cent) more at Sainsbury’s Local than at Sainsbury’s supermarkets.
Despite the markups, according to Which?, if you are going to shop at a supermarket convenience store, Tesco Express might be your best bet.
Experts revealed: “Overall, Tesco Express was the cheapest of the convenience stores – but only if you have a Clubcard. The total cost of our shop averaged £108.28 for members and £117.30 for non-members.
“As Sainsbury’s and Morrisons don’t currently offer member-only discounts in their convenience stores, the total average cost of the convenience basket was the same regardless of membership: £111.83 at Sainsbury’s and £119.29 at Morrisons.”
As for which products saw a markup, essentials such as milk, butter and bread were seen to have upped the price at retailers’ convenience stores.
At Tesco Express, Morrisons Daily and Sainsbury’s local, two pints of own-label semi-skimmed milk would set you back 8 per cent more than the same purchase from their supermarket counterparts.
Which? added: “A medium white Hovis loaf cost 12 per cent more at both Sainsbury’s Local and Tesco Express, and 14 per cent more at Morrisons Daily.
“Loyalty members would have forked out 20 per cent more at Tesco for a 400g tub of Lurpak Spreadable butter, while all shoppers would have paid 33 per cent more at Morrisons Daily.”
For the steepest markups, Britons can look to a tin of own-label chickpeas at Morrisons Daily.
This product would set shoppers back £1 at Morrisons Daily, as opposed to 49p in the supermarket’s bigger branches – more than twice the price.
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Tesco Express was the cheapest of the three supermarket convenience stores
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Those scooping up a tub of Philadelphia soft cheese at any supermarket convenience store can also expect a price increase.
According to the recent findings, it costs 63 per cent more at Morrisons Daily, 26 per cent more at Tesco Express and 20 per cent more at Sainsbury’s Local than at the supermarkets’ larger stores.
There were some products that were cheaper in the convenience stores though. For example, a 180g bag of Doritos Cool Original tortilla chips was 15 per cent less, a one-litre bottle of Robinson’s orange squash 25 per cent less, and Kenco Millicano instant coffee 32 per cent less at Morrisons Daily.