A MAJOR supermarket has partnered with local sharing app Olio to launch £2 mystery bags with groceries worth up to £10.
Iceland is rolling out Olio’s “Lucky Dip” grocery bags filled with mystery food items at a discount.
The “Lucky Dip” grocery bags contain at least eight food items from Iceland stores[/caption]
The new bags contain a mystery selection of at least eight food items from Iceland stores that are nearing their sell-by date.
According to the Olio app website, users can buy a “Lucky Dip” bag for up to 80% off – which means your £2 mystery bag from Iceland could get you groceries worth up to £10.
The bags can include fresh fruit and vegetables, store cupboard staples or deli items.
The scheme launches nationally today, after the supermarket trialled the scheme in London and Manchester earlier this year.
How it works
You can grab a “Lucky Dip” bag on the Olio app, by looking up Iceland stores nearby and reserving one of the bags.
You can then head into your chosen store during a set collection window to pay for your bag and pick up your goodies.
Tessa Clarke, co-founder and chief executive of Olio, said: “Millions of families are feeling the pinch right now, especially as the party and festive season approaches, and food waste is still a huge problem.
“The Lucky Dip bags are fun, practical and full of value, and we can’t wait to see what people find in theirs.”
Stuart Lendrum, director of product, process and sustainability at Iceland Foods added: “Our Lucky Dip bags have already proven to be a great way for families to save money without compromising on quality.
“By taking the scheme with Olio nationwide, we’re making sure every Iceland shopper can unlock fantastic value for just £2 a bag.”
What else does Olio offer?
Discounted mystery bags are one of the ways to save money on your food shop.
Olio also offers 50% off some individual products in Iceland.
You can also get “Lucky Dip” bags from a variety of stores in local areas, depending on your location and availablity.
Shopping around for the cheapest deals can help keep your grocery shop costs down too.
Aldi was crowned the cheapest grocer in the latest Which? rankings.
In September, a shopping list of 71 items at Aldi cost £122.77 on average.
Aldi was cheaper than second-placed Lidl by just over a pound.
A grocery shop at Lidl cost an average of £123.95 in September.
The list of 71 items included both branded items such as Cathedral City cheddar and Hellmann’s mayonnaise, as well as own-brand products such as potatoes and baked beans.
How to save money on your food shop
Consumer reporter Sam Walker reveals how you can save hundreds of pounds a year:
Odd boxes – plenty of retailers offer slightly misshapen fruit and veg or surplus food at a discounted price.
Lidl sells five kilos of fruit and veg for just £1.50 through its Waste Not scheme while Aldi shoppers can get Too Good to Go bags which contain £10 worth of all kinds of products for £3.30.
Sainsbury’s also sells £2 “Taste Me, Don’t Waste Me” fruit and veg boxes to help shoppers reduced food waste and save cash.
Food waste apps – food waste apps work by helping shops, cafes, restaurants and other businesses shift stock that is due to go out of date and passing it on to members of the public.
Some of the most notable ones include Too Good to Go and Olio.
Too Good to Go’s app is free to sign up to and is used by millions of people across the UK, letting users buy food at a discount.
Olio works similarly, except users can collect both food and other household items for free from neighbours and businesses.
Yellow sticker bargains – yellow sticker bargains, sometimes orange and red in certain supermarkets, are a great way of getting food on the cheap.
But what time to head out to get the best deals varies depending on the retailer. You can see the best times for each supermarket here.
Super cheap bargains – sign up to bargain hunter Facebook groups like Extreme Couponing and Bargains UK where shoppers regularly post hauls they’ve found on the cheap, including food finds.
“Downshift” – you will almost always save money going for a supermarket’s own-brand economy lines rather than premium brands.
The move to lower-tier ranges, also known as “downshifting” and hailed by consumer expert Martin Lewis, could save you hundreds of pounds a year on your food shop.
