for the odd bits and bobs you need, rather than bagging it all in your big weekly shop, you’ve been warned.
As convenient as they might be, the cost of those little stops add up and you could be spending way more on these express stores than larger supermarkets.
According to consumer website Which? popping into convenience stores as opposed to their larger counterparts could cost you a fifth more.
More than half of respondents in a survey conducted by the consumer champion site were found to shop at convenience stores at least once a week.
Think of your Tesco Express, Morrisons Daily and Sainsbury’s Local.
Which? compared the cost of popular grocery items on three occasions in June and July 2024 at Morrisons Daily, Sainsbury’s Local and Tesco Express – against prices at their full-sized supermarkets.
Morrisons, Sainsbury’s and Tesco offer discounts to their loyalty scheme members, so researchers also checked prices for shoppers with a Morrisons More, Sainsbury’s Nectar or Tesco Clubcard.
Which? compared 42 branded and own-label products all commonly available in convenience stores – from cheese and pasta to blueberries and ice cream.
The biggest price difference for the items was at Morrisons. Which? ‘s research found that consumers pay 21% more on average for the same groceries at a Morrisons Daily than its supermarket.
A 400g tin of own-label chickpeas was 104% more expensive at the convenience store – £1 in comparison to 49p at the supermarket.
Another striking price difference was with a 165g tub of Philadelphia soft cheese which cost £2.58 Morrisons Daily compared to £1.58 at a large supermarket branch.
The total cost of the basket of groceries at Morrisons Daily averaged £16 more. This could set consumers back a total of £832 more over the course of the year if they bought the same products once a week.
Three products were discounted for loyalty scheme members in Morrisons’ bigger stores but not at its convenience stores, meaning the average price difference for More cardholders would have been slightly higher, at 22%.
While Sainsbury’s and Tesco had fewer variations in their prices between convenience stores and larger stores, Nectar members could still be paying an average of 14% more on average at Sainsbury’s Local, while Clubcard holders could be paying 11% more at Tesco Express.
A pack of six Mr Kipling Bakewell Slices was £2.32 on average at Tesco Express but £1.50 at Tesco supermarkets for Clubcard holders – a 54% difference.
Meanwhile, consumers looking for pasta could get a 500g bag of own-label fusilli for 20p cheaper at a larger Sainsbury’s supermarket – 65p instead of 85p at a Sainsbury’s Local.
In total, the basket of 42 groceries would have averaged around £11 more at Sainsbury’s Local and £10 more at Tesco Express for loyalty scheme members, compared to their prices at the larger stores, which adds up to more than £500 extra over a year.
The average price difference for shoppers without a Tesco Clubcard was 10%, but 5% for Sainsbury’s customers without a Nectar card.
The smaller difference for Sainsbury’s can be explained by the fact they don’t offer Nectar points in smaller stores, but have special offers available to all, making their prices closer to that of bigger stores.
Unfortunately for those forced to shop regularly in smaller supermarket branches essentials such as milk, bread and butter all had a big markup.
All three supermarket convenience stores charged 8% more for two pints of own-label, semi-skimmed milk – with or without a loyalty card.
A medium white Hovis loaf cost 12% more at both Sainsbury’s Local and Tesco Express, and 14% more at Morrisons Daily.
There were some items, however, which were cheaper at local stores.
A 180g bag of Doritos Cool Original were 15% cheaper, a one litre bottle of Robinsons orange squash was 25% less and Kenco Millicano instant coffee was 32% less at Morrisons Daily.
Meanwhile, Clubcard holders paid 14% less on average for a five-pack of Nature Valley cereal bars at Tesco Express and 6% less for a 460g bottle of Heinz Tomato ketchup.
Which?’s investigation concluded that Tesco Express was the cheapest of the convenience stores – but only for shoppers with a Clubcard. The shop cost £108.28 on average for members and £117.30 for non-members.
Sainsbury’s and Morrisons do not currently offer member-only discounts in their convenience stores so the total average cost of the grocery basket was the same regardless of membership. The average was £111.83 at Sainsbury’s and £119.29 at Morrisons.
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