Tesco buy all nine Shoprite supermarkets- Monopoly?

[woolley]

33 minutes ago, Kopek said:

I fear not everyone is as price conscious as you and the Missus?

Nor indeed would many pursue such price matching for what must only be a few pence per item, sure many pence add up!

I find in Tesco if one avoids the yellow labels there are other items, different brands, that are even cheaper than the 'specials'?

Conspiracy. Would we put it beyond 'big business' to use the price comparisons to actually charge more than they would normally? Could they take, say, 50/100 Aldi prices that are above what they would normally charge? Promote them with yellow stickers to make us think that we are getting a bargain when we are actually paying more than the normal price???

If you're not desperate for the item, don't buy it, if you need it, you take your chance on a yellow sticker bargain!!!

If the big supermarkets are so keen compete with Aldi, perhaps there is room for an Aldi here?

To answer your conspiracy theory, it's certainly not beyond them, but I don't believe they do precisely what you are describing. I am aware that there are instances of having (say) a pack of 30 biscuits costing more per biscuit than a pack of 10 or 20 of the same thing. It almost looks like an error, but apparently it's a marketing ploy that makes us buy more.

I think the Aldi thing is overblown. The range is quite limited although, again, the other half goes in there because we like their chocolate (not the cheap stuff). I think the best service they have performed in the UK is keeping the others keen and on their toes, and we get the benefit of this through Tesco.

[CallMeCurious]

3 hours ago, Kopek said:

I fear not everyone is as price conscious as you and the Missus?

Nor indeed would many pursue such price matching for what must only be a few pence per item, sure many pence add up!

I find in Tesco if one avoids the yellow labels there are other items, different brands, that are even cheaper than the 'specials'?

Conspiracy. Would we put it beyond 'big business' to use the price comparisons to actually charge more than they would normally? Could they take, say, 50/100 Aldi prices that are above what they would normally charge? Promote them with yellow stickers to make us think that we are getting a bargain when we are actually paying more than the normal price???

If you're not desperate for the item, don't buy it, if you need it, you take your chance on a yellow sticker bargain!!!

If the big supermarkets are so keen compete with Aldi, perhaps there is room for an Aldi here?

Awareness is the key. Often a quick read of the price label will give you a price pence per kg/litre etc. So you can compare the value of different brands on a crude level. Sometimes it's a false economy if the quality (taste/texture) isn't quite the same but most of the time there is little different.

Also being able to do simple math in your head helps too. Big box or multipack offer is not always priced 'right' to make a real saving compared with the single/smaller pack option. 

 

[IOM]

13 hours ago, woolley said:

This is not as bad as you are painting it. At least it isn't yet, so the jury remains out. As I've mentioned before, Mrs W runs quite a detailed comparison as we (mainly she) frequent Tesco both here and in the UK very regularly indeed at the moment, and have been in both as recently as the last few days.

I can tell you authoritatively that it is nothing like 5p more on "most items". Most items are still priced exactly the same in the UK as they are here.

 

 

 

If that’s the case I am not sure how you explain 

Tesco 10% fat mince  £4.90 (UK) £5.15 (island )

Chicken Breasts 650g £4.70 (UK) £4.95 ( island) 

Andrex Toilet rolls 24 £11.75 (UK) £12.35 (island)

Pasta 500g 75p (UK) 80p ( island)

Heinz tomato soup £1.70 (UK) £1.80 ( island ) 

Onken yogurt £1.95( UK) £2.05 ( island) 

Salad Tomatoes £1.50 (UK) £1.60 ( island ) 

Tesco vanilla ice cream £2.65 (UK) £2.80 ( island ) 

And that’s just a few of many it’s easy to compare online ! The differences I have seen vary between 5p and 60p which is why @WTF I estimated the inflationary effect as circa 5% . In fact that may be too low based on what I have looked at . 
 

Anyway the key point is shop around it’s not as straightforward as it seems ! If you find it helpful good if not then no problem either !! 

[GD4ELI]

1 minute ago, IOM said:

If that’s the case I am not sure how you explain 

Tesco 10% fat mince  £4.90 (UK) £5.15 (island )

Chicken Breasts 650g £4.70 (UK) £4.95 ( island) 

Andrex Toilet rolls 24 £11.75 (UK) £12.35 (island)

Pasta 500g 75p (UK) 80p ( island)

Heinz tomato soup £1.70 (UK) £1.80 ( island ) 

Onken yogurt £1.95( UK) £2.05 ( island) 

Salad Tomatoes £1.50 (UK) £1.60 ( island ) 

Tesco vanilla ice cream £2.65 (UK) £2.80 ( island ) 

And that’s just a few of many it’s easy to compare online ! The differences I have seen vary between 5p and 60p which is why @WTF I estimated the inflationary effect as circa 5% . In fact that may be too low based on what I have looked at . 
 

Anyway the key point is shop around it’s not as straightforward as it seems ! If you find it helpful good if not then no problem either !! 

And did not Tesco state that prices on the small rock would be a few % higher than those on the big rock?

5% difference to replace Shoprite is worth the price.

[IOM]

2 minutes ago, GD4ELI said:

And did not Tesco state that prices on the small rock would be a few % higher than those on the big rock?

5% difference to replace Shoprite is worth the price.

Yes I think they did . I am not sure those shoppers at Lake Road were expecting to pay higher prices to pay for the Shoprite refurbishments though ! All I am seeking to do is show that it’s not as straightforward as some people believe and if you have the time to shop around you can save money ! 

[mad_manx]

13 hours ago, woolley said:

This is not as bad as you are painting it. At least it isn't yet, so the jury remains out. As I've mentioned before, Mrs W runs quite a detailed comparison as we (mainly she) frequent Tesco both here and in the UK very regularly indeed at the moment, and have been in both as recently as the last few days.

I can tell you authoritatively that it is nothing like 5p more on "most items". Most items are still priced exactly the same in the UK as they are here.

There have always been some items, mainly bulky products and some alcohol lines that are more expensive here (but not all - for instance the bottled beer 4 for £7 offer is exactly the same here as there). There are now a (very) few more than there were, including a 5p differential per kilo on loose bananas and on various branded and Tesco own brand bread. The overwhelming majority of staple food items remain priced at parity.

Interestingly, the few items that are newly more expensive here have not been increased. They have simply not been reduced when prices in the UK came down. To use the bananas as an example once more, over the past 5 years in UK and IOM they have been 84p/kg, then they came down to 73p/kg and stayed there for ages. With the coming of inflation in 2021 they went to 78p/kg, then 85p, then 92p, then topped out at 105p/kg (although due to a software error, all the time they were at the latter 3 prices in the UK, the IOM shopper was still paying only 78p despite the price on the shelf!). Since the start of 2024, the price in the UK has come down to 90p/kg, but at Lake Rd it has remained at 95p/kg up to this week. It's a similar story on the bread lines - they remained higher here following a UK reduction. I reiterate though, that most groceries, fruit, cereals, biscuits, or whatever, remain the same (for now).

It might also be worth mentioning Clubcard Plus.

https://www.tesco.com/clubcard/clubcard-plus

For a monthly payment of £7.99 you can save 10% off 2 - £200 shops a month, so break even at £80, and save up to £40.00 (less the £7.99).

Further info:

https://becleverwithyourcash.com/tesco-clubcard-plus-review-is-it-worth-it/#What_do_you_get_with_Clubcard_Plus

 

Also if you have a large family then you have have 2 or  even 3  clubcard plus accounts  for £7.99 per account per month .

Keep each shop under £200 to get the full advantage of 10% off upto £20 per shops twice a month per account ..

There is no long term commitment either..  I sometimes stop mine in between after stocking  up on food and drink 🙂 .  Freeze / lock the  payment  card used for the subscription and  they cannot bill you .. You lose the clubcard plus perks till you pay again .

I do this 2 or 3 times a year when I'm on work / leisure travel and off island..

Edited March 4 by mad_manx

[The Phantom]

10 hours ago, CallMeCurious said:

Awareness is the key. Often a quick read of the price label will give you a price pence per kg/litre etc. So you can compare the value of different brands on a crude level.

 

Wise words.  I probably look at that more than anything else when I'm buying something generic and aren't really bothered by the brand or quantity (or it's for someone in the family other than myself). 

[woolley]

22 minutes ago, IOM said:

If that’s the case I am not sure how you explain 

Tesco 10% fat mince  £4.90 (UK) £5.15 (island )

Chicken Breasts 650g £4.70 (UK) £4.95 ( island) 

Andrex Toilet rolls 24 £11.75 (UK) £12.35 (island)

Pasta 500g 75p (UK) 80p ( island)

Heinz tomato soup £1.70 (UK) £1.80 ( island ) 

Onken yogurt £1.95( UK) £2.05 ( island) 

Salad Tomatoes £1.50 (UK) £1.60 ( island ) 

Tesco vanilla ice cream £2.65 (UK) £2.80 ( island ) 

And that’s just a few of many it’s easy to compare online ! The differences I have seen vary between 5p and 60p which is why @WTF I estimated the inflationary effect as circa 5% . In fact that may be too low based on what I have looked at . 
 

Anyway the key point is shop around it’s not as straightforward as it seems ! If you find it helpful good if not then no problem either !! 

You must also have seen many, many items that are exactly the same? I think she worked out across all the stuff we buy, an identical shop would be between 2% and 3% more expensive here. Obviously that's going to depend on the specific items, and how many of those are more expensive here versus how many are the same. However, it is absolutely not "most items" that are dearer.

Picking up one of your specific items, we buy the 5% fat mince which is an Aldi price match, and the same price here and away. (Illustrating again that it depends what you buy.)

[quilp]

Just now, IOM said:

Yes I think they did . I am not sure those shoppers at Lake Road were expecting to pay higher prices to pay for the Shoprite refurbishments though ! All I am seeking to do is show that it’s not as straightforward as some people believe and if you have the time to shop around you can save money ! 

That helpful comparative list you posted. Let's say the items on that list were actually in your basket. Comparing the two lists appears to indicate that the local purchase-prices of those items amount to less than two quid more than the UK. Personally I don’t find that unreasonable considering our situational circumstances; transportation, storage, etc.

As you say, more discerning shoppers might want to shop around but will the average family-shopper do that when everything is conveniently under one roof?

Who are the competitors anyway, the Co-op? M&S? Err..?

[IOM]

1 minute ago, woolley said:

You must also have seen many, many items that are exactly the same? 

Well actually no I didn’t see many the same at all in fact most that I looked at carried a difference as I said anything between 5p and 60p. I agree Aldi price match lines won’t differ but remember there are only about 500 of those ( as Tesco publish on their website) and Lake Road will stock around 15000-20000 products so that’s a lot they can vary . 

[IOM]

3 minutes ago, quilp said:

That helpful comparative list you posted. Let's say the items on that list were actually in your basket. Comparing the two lists appears to indicate that the local purchase-prices of those items amount to less than two quid more than the UK. Personally I don’t find that unreasonable considering our situational circumstances; transportation, storage, etc.

As you say, more discerning shoppers might want to shop around but will the average family-shopper do that when everything is conveniently under one roof?

Who are the competitors anyway, the Co-op? M&S? Err..?

Yes you are right there is not much competition. The point is Tesco were allowed to make the acquisition because there was no legislation in place to stop them having such a large share of the market . This would never be allowed across the CMA ( Competition and Markets authority) would never allow it because they would be concerned about consumer harm . 

[woolley]

6 minutes ago, IOM said:

Well actually no I didn’t see many the same at all in fact most that I looked at carried a difference as I said anything between 5p and 60p. I agree Aldi price match lines won’t differ but remember there are only about 500 of those ( as Tesco publish on their website) and Lake Road will stock around 15000-20000 products so that’s a lot they can vary . 

I can assure you that there are many that are exactly the same in the stores. I doubt that we are so lucky that we just happen to buy all the stuff that is the same!

Loads of fruit, veg, crisps, biscuits, beers, cereals, chocolate, chilled stuff etc. Unless of course they increased them all on the Island in the last few days because our most recent shop was UK.

[woolley]

11 minutes ago, IOM said:

Yes you are right there is not much competition. The point is Tesco were allowed to make the acquisition because there was no legislation in place to stop them having such a large share of the market . This would never be allowed across the CMA ( Competition and Markets authority) would never allow it because they would be concerned about consumer harm . 

Hypothetically, what would have happened in the scenario that the legislation had said NO, and then Shoprite had simply ceased trading? That'd be a fine mess. Clearly nobody else wanted to come in and take on Tesco in a limited market. Legislation can only take you so far. It can't turn the financially unviable into reality.

Edited March 4 by woolley

[CrazyDave]

8 minutes ago, woolley said:

I can assure you that there are many that are exactly the same in the stores. I doubt that we are so lucky that we just happen to buy all the stuff that is the same!

Loads of fruit, veg, crisps, biscuits, beers, cereals, chocolate, chilled stuff etc. Unless of course they increased them all on the Island in the last few days because our most recent shop was UK.

Have to agree with IOM.

Pretty much every item I look at is more expensive here than the UK, and in some cases by more than a pound.

[woolley]

Just now, CrazyDave said:

Have to agree with IOM.

Pretty much every item I look at is more expensive here than the UK, and in some cases by more than a pound.

No way. Only on a minority of items. Unless, as I say, this is a recent thing, say from 1st March.