
Shoppers at Tesco, Sainsbury’s or Morrisons could find themselves paying more for milk depending on the location of their supermarket. The simple act of nipping to the shop for a bottle of milk can become expensive if you rely on smaller ‘convenience’ supermarkets, even if they’re part of the same retail chain.
A study conducted by consumer magazine Which? compared the prices of 42 everyday items at larger supermarkets and their smaller ‘local’ or ‘Extra’ convenience store counterparts from the same retailers. The investigation revealed that all three supermarkets with smaller stores – Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons – charged 8 per cent more for an identical bottle of milk, according to the Express.
It was discovered that customers pay 8 per cent more for two pints of own-brand semi-skimmed milk at all three supermarkets’ smaller chains. Other items of concern included Philadelphia soft cheese, which was 63 per cent more expensive at Morrisons Daily than at Morrisons‘ regular supermarkets, 26 per cent more at Tesco Express than Tesco, and 20 per cent more at Sainsbury’s Local than larger Sainsbury’s stores.
Morrisons’ own brand chickpeas were more than double the price – £1 versus 49p – at Morrisons Daily compared to Morrisons’ larger supermarkets, as per Which?, reports Yorkshire Live.
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However, a few items were cheaper at smaller stores – Doritos were 15 per cent cheaper and Kenco Millicano instant coffee was 32 per cent cheaper at Morrisons Daily.
Which? has unveiled alarming figures regarding consumer shopping patterns and access to food essentials, highlighting a stark reality for many. The consumer watchdog stated: “While many of us choose to use convenience stores for top-up shops and food on the go, others have no choice but to use them. Just under a fifth of convenience store shoppers say their nearest large supermarket is too far away, and nearly one in eight don’t own a car. Others say online shopping isn’t an option for them.”
In a previous investigation, Which? identified areas where people face significant hurdles in obtaining affordable food through its Priority Places for Food Index, created with the University of Leeds’ Consumer Data Research Centre. The report draws attention to communities that are particularly reliant on local convenience stores due to poor access to larger supermarkets, limited availability of online grocery delivery, and socio-economic issues such as fuel poverty.
It was discovered that 66 per cent of households with an annual income below £21,000 frequent a convenience store at least weekly.
Reacting to these findings, Which? commented: “When we put our findings to Tesco, it said its Express stores are mainly in built-up areas where rents, rates and operating costs are higher, and the difference in prices of some products reflect these increased costs. It also said customers make different ‘shopper journeys’ at Express stores, so it tailors Clubcard offers to suit customer shopping habits.”
A spokesperson for Sainsbury’s has shed light on the varying prices customers may notice between their convenience stores and larger supermarkets. Speaking to PA, they clarified: “There may be price differences between convenience stores and supermarkets. This is because our Sainsbury’s Local stores, which tend to be located in city or town centre locations, often have higher operating costs relative to their size, such as rents and business rates.”
Morrisons also weighed in on their approach to pricing, with a representative stating: “We’re always working hard to keep prices down and competitive for our customers while maintaining high standards and availability in all our stores. Last year, we became the first supermarket to introduce our budget ‘Savers’ range into Morrisons Daily stores nationwide.”
They added, “We know our customers and business partners would like to see the More Card accepted in Morrisons Daily stores, so we are actively working on introducing the offer into our convenience estate in the coming months.”
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