Warning: Quantity does not equal value.

My brother came with me to the supermarket yesterday evening, he is much more helpful than my usual assistants.

Like me, he likes to get value for money and we were discussing our preferences as we strolled the aisles. I had on a previous occasion noticed that large 3 kg bags of pasta were not better value than the regular size and was surprised but simply avoided them.

This time it was Weetabix that surprised me with pricing that doesn't seem fair. Larger packets need less handling, less packaging and often have messages such as "family value!" emblazoned across them, but they do not, as the following example shows always save you money.

pack of 12 Weetabix €1.69 = .1408c each

pack of 24 Weetabix €1.99 = .0829c each

pack of 48 Weetabix €4.19 = 0.0872c each

pack of 72 Weetabix €6.59 = 0.0915c each

(correct to 4 decimal places, prices confirmed on tesco.ie 4/2/2010, i am also surprised to discover that a 24 pack of Weetabix is 10c cheaper instore (€1.89) than online.)

Unit pricing is now a legal requirement and this makes it easy to see whether a smaller or bigger pack offers a better per kilo price, but in another twist to this tale there are no unit prices for Weetabix on the shelf in my local Tesco. I think this is in breach of the law and I would even question the misleading banner boasting value across the largest box of Weetabix.

I know it's not possible to check every single price or item with a calculator but for larger items you buy regularly it's worth checking it out.

Don't ASSUME anything.

Comments

[Orla Kerbey]

As with everyone else, I am becoming much more aware of the pricing of staple items but I know that Tesco up here near the border have been slowly increasing their prices, but using "special offer" tickets to hide the fact.
When will the managers in the likes of Tesco realise that we are not idiots and know when we are being ripped off.
(This isn't a tesco bashing comment, it is just that I haven't had any bad experiences with prices being adjusted anywhere else!)

[Anne]

Missing your blog. Hope you will be back soon.

Anne