THE Co-op has increased the price of its lunchtime meal deal after three years of keeping it at £3.50.
Last week, the supermarket increased the members’ price from £3.50 to £3.75, while non-members will now pay £4.10, up from £4.
The meal deal increase was the first in three years[/caption]
It’s understood The Co-op made this change due to inflationary pressures, but has held the price of its premium meal deal at £5.50.
A Co-op spokesman said: “Our popular meal deal offers great value, with over 300 products to choose from and allows shoppers to save several pounds compared to buying products individually.
“We’re proud that, unlike many others, we only use British protein and free-range eggs in our own-brand sandwiches, wraps and salads, to ensure we provide real value with values to our members and customers.”
Like rival supermarkets, The Co-op’s meal deal comprises a main option, side and drink.
The Co-op’s move is the latest price hike on supermarket meal deals this year, with shoppers constantly protesting against rising costs.
In August, Tesco hiked its lunchtime meal deal by 25p from £3.60 to £3.85.
Its Premium meal deal went from £5.50, up from £5, for those with a Clubcard and £6 for those without.
Two months before that, Sainsbury’s increased the price of its lunchtime meal deal by 20p from £3.75 to £3.95, causing upset among its workers and customers.
More recently its premium deal rose to £5.50, from £5.
Consumer champion Martyn James said: “There is a tipping point for all of the things we buy, when they become simply too expensive.
“The meal deal has supported millions of people watching the pennies over the years, but when we approach the £4 mark, it stops being a good deal.
“We can expect to see people dropping one of the components of the deal, like the drink or snack, to save cash.
“So ultimately, raising meal deal prices is a false economy for businesses.”
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.
