Buyers Beware

Book an airline ticket or almost anything else on the web and the total price you see on your screen is what you pay!  But not if you are shopping online for food and drink at Asda, Sainsbury’s, Tesco or Waitrose!  Then the screen price is a mere guideline. Why? Because supermarkets dictate that their online shoppers pay the price charged by the local store on the day of delivery, not the screen price on the day of ordering.

So, with thousands of prices changing daily (both up and down) your shopping bill could be either more or less than the web site price. Moreover, factor in also that prices can vary with different store formats and post codes, and that deals come on and off – then you need the luck of the lottery to predict which supermarket is going to be the cheapest when you order on Monday for delivery on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday....  A nightmare scenario for the consumer on a budget.

It would be helpful if supermarkets fell in line with other retailers when it came to their online grocery shopping, so that all shoppers had a more informed choice.