How do you buy your shopping? (Credits: Getty Images)
With high inflation still proving problematic for households across the country, getting the best value for money when grocery shopping is essential for anyone struggling with the cost of living crisis.
In a recent release from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), rises in the cost of food and non-alcoholic beverages were found to be a significant factor in the problems faced by many – as anyone who has been to a supermarket recently can attest.
While many people opt for the convenience of having their shopping delivered, is that the most cost-effective way to shop?
Metro.co.uk spoke to an expert on what you need to consider.
Is it cheaper to buy groceries online?
The first thing to remember is that making a comparison between shopping online and in-store isn’t as straightforward as you might assume.
For a start, some options, like downloading cashback apps, can work in both settings. Deals expert Oli Townsend told Metro.co.uk: ‘You can max supermarket savings by downloading grocery cashback apps and looking out for digital coupons online.’
‘Shopmium, GreenJinn and CheckoutSmart are all free and offer up weekly cashback deals on big brands for both in-store and online shopping – often you can even claim a totally free product. You’ll need to buy the applicable product, then claim the cashback which is usually done by taking a photo of your receipt and scanning the product barcode.’
Unfortunately, many other factors aren’t easily quantifiable – for instance, the time you lose in travelling to the shops or what the fuel might cost will be different depending on where you live.
However, here are some solid arguments for both visiting a physical shop and ordering online – you can then decide on which method of shopping makes the most sense for your situation.
What’s the weirdest substituted item you’ve had in a delivery? (Picture: Chris Ratcliffe/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Why you should shop online
For obvious reasons, shopping online saw a huge explosion in popularity during the Covid-19 pandemic.
According to Statista, over 60 million of us now shop online (as ‘e-commerce users’) meaning those of us that only do our shopping physically are now very much in the minority.
Five reasons to shop for grocerys online
Bulk purchasing deals – When shopping online, it can be easier to take advantage of any bulk buy deals that are on offer, as the shopping will be delivered to you, and you don’t have to worry about limited car space or struggling with heavy items on the walk home.
Mr Townsend also reminds us that the best online shopping codes are usually for first-time orders, saying ‘We often see major supermarkets including Sainsbury’s and Morrisons offer codes such as £15 off your first £60 shop, and it pays to use them all to bag the big money-off, even if you don’t intend to shop there again.’
Easy visibility on offers – Product listings online clearly mark any and all offers, so you don’t have to concern yourself with whether labels have been swapped or are inaccurate.
You can also often find the latest deals in one section of the website, rather than trudging around the entire supermarket.
Less tempting to impulse buy – We’ve all been there. That ‘What on earth was I thinking?’ feeling while unpacking the shopping.
Whether inspired by hunger, blindingly cheap deals, or just temporary insanity, it can be argued that purchasing groceries through a website can help you cut down on any unneeded impulse purchases.
Save on petrol and time – Possibly one of the most obvious benefits of buying your groceries online is the savings you make by not having to venture out of your front door.
You’ll save money by not using petrol to drive to a supermarket or take public transport. Don’t forget – your time is also valuable, and a shopping trip (including the journey) can often be a lengthy part of your day.
‘Delivery-only’ offers – Some supermarkets operate select ‘delivery-only’ offers that won’t be available in-store, meaning you could miss out if you choose to shop in person.
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Why you should shop at the supermarket
There are still more than a few reasons to lace up your shoes and head out to the supermarket rather – and no, nostalgia doesn’t have to be one of them.
Oli Townsend, from MoneySavingExpert, has also pointed out that you can also use comparison tools to compare instore deals just like you would if you were shopping online.
He explained to Metro.co.uk, ‘Supermarket deals come and go, so use free comparison tool Trolley.co.uk to quickly find the cheapest supermarket for your items.
‘Of course, you’ll have to factor in the difference in travel cost if one supermarket is further away, but comparing baskets can save big.
‘You can also set alerts for when the price of your favourite goodies drop so you can grab them while they’re cheap, or consider stocking up.’
Five reasons to shop at the supermarket
‘Yellow sticker’ deals – Possibly the best argument for shopping in-store is the absolute bargains you can pick up via yellow-sticker deals.
Any stock rapidly approaching its sell-by/use-by date can often be purchased for a substantial discount – sometimes even just a few pence.
Shopping online means you’ll never know the joy of grabbing a premium meal deal sandwich for just 11p.
Avoiding substitutions – Unfortunately, ordering your shopping online can occasionally lead to some pretty bizarre substitutions when items are out of stock.
Shopping in-store means that you’ll be able to see what’s available and select your own alternatives if anything is out of stock.
Some of the cheapest stores don’t deliver – A very important factor to consider is that some of the cheapest supermarkets, like Lidl and Aldi, have very limited delivery options.
Save on delivery fees – While delivery costs will vary from supermarket to supermarket, you can save on any delivery charges by heading into the shop yourself.
You can find longer-lasting products – If you are shopping in a supermarket, you can view the sell-by dates of all the products on the shelf, meaning you can select the products that will last the longest, and cut down on any waste.
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An expert weighs up the benefits of both online and in-store shopping.