Save money on supermarket shopping

Set a grocery budget that fits real life

• Start with recent receipts and include top-up shops, delivery charges and household essentials. Separate those from takeaway spending so you know what changed.
• Illustrative budget, not a price promise: £80 a week averages £346.67 a month (£80 × 52 ÷ 12), not £320. A £5 weekly reduction is £260 over 52 weeks if maintained.
• Allow for dietary needs, household size and price changes. If the budget does not cover adequate food, seek support rather than skip meals.

Compare unit prices, not just pack prices

• The CMA recommends checking unit pricing by weight, volume or item. Larger packs, multipacks, promotional items and prepacked produce are not automatically better value.
• Use the same basis: convert grams to kilograms or millilitres to litres. Do not compare a price per item with a price per kilogram unless you know the relevant quantity.
• Illustrative products, not shop offers: £2 for 500g is £4/kg; £3 for 1kg is £3/kg, 25% less per kilogram. The larger pack still costs £1 more at checkout.
• For multipacks enter the combined weight or count. Include loyalty eligibility, minimum purchases and any delivery charge when judging the overall shop.

Try own-brand options one at a time

• Compare equivalent ingredients, quantity and suitability, not only the label. Own-brand does not always mean cheaper.
• Check allergens, dietary needs and preparation instructions each time; a substitute may not suit your household.
• Try one small pack first. If an illustrative £2.50 regular purchase is replaced by a suitable £2 product once a week, the difference is £26 a year; these are invented example figures, not verified prices.

Make a list that reduces repeat shopping

• Plan a few meals using ingredients you already have, then list only missing items and quantities.
• Group the list by aisle, and mark what is essential versus optional. Check the final basket total before payment.
• When ordering online, review substitutions, delivery cost and minimum spend. Avoid adding things you do not need just to reach a threshold.

Reduce food waste safely

• GOV.UK distinguishes use-by dates (safety) from best-before dates (quality). Do not eat use-by food after its date unless it was safely cooked or frozen in time under the guidance.
• Follow storage instructions; incorrect storage can make food unsafe before the printed date. Do not use smell as a safety test for food past its use-by date.
• Label suitable frozen portions with contents and date. Follow cooking, cooling, freezing and defrosting guidance rather than stretching dates to save money.
• Only buy a bigger pack if the useful portion will be eaten or safely preserved. Throwing away the extra can erase a lower unit price.

Sources and review

Written by CompareDirect. Worked examples are illustrative, not live deals or guaranteed savings. Check the relevant supplier, council or adviser for your circumstances.

• CMA: a short guide to unit pricing
• GOV.UK: best before and use-by dates

Content reviewed: 24 October 2026. Linked guidance checked; provider prices and personal eligibility are not verified by these examples.