CONVENIENCE can be costly – especially when shopping for that much-loved barbecue.
Picking up last minute essentials like burgers, lager, firelighters and sun cream from the top supermarkets’ smaller stores can cost you a whopping 60 per cent extra or more, compared with shopping at a superstore.
This is because the big chains’ high street branches rarely stock their cheaper, own-brand basics. In fact, a Which? study last year found these were only available in just one per cent of smaller stores like Tesco Express.
As we head towards possibly one of the last of very few sunny weekends this year, ALEX LLOYD visited the high street and superstore versions of four major supermarkets in York and compared the cost of 15 key barbecue essentials…
Tesco 8 Pork Sausages £2.45
Firepit 4 Beef Quarter Pounders £2.80
Tesco 4 Large Seeded Burger Buns 95p
Tesco 6 White Hot Dog Rolls £1
Tesco Celebrate 25 Extra Strength Paper Plates £2.10
Tesco Celebrate 50 Napkins 2ply £1.60
Tesco Celebrate 10 Party Cups £2
Zip 14 Individual Firelighters £5*
Tesco Diet Lemonade 2l 70p
Gordon’s Gin & Tonic 250ml £2.35
Carling Lager 4 x 440ml £4.50
Wall’s Soft Scoop Vanilla Ice Cream 1.8l £3.10
Rowntree’s 4 Fruit Pastilles Lollies £2.75
Tesco One-a-Day Hayfever & Allergy Relief 30 Tablets £3.30
Tesco Soleil SPF50+ Sun Lotion 200ml £3.20
TOTAL = £37.80
Woodside Farms 8 Pork Sausages £1.50**
Firepit 4 Beef Quarter Pounders £2.49 (Aldi price match)
Tesco 6 White Batch Rolls 49p (Aldi price match)
Tesco 6 White Hot Dog Rolls 89p
Tesco Celebrate 50 Extra Strength Paper Plates £1.50
Tesco Celebrate 100 Napkins £1
Eco Recyclable Paper Cups 15 Pack £1.25***
Zip 24 Firelighters £2
Tesco Diet Lemonade 2l 60p
Tesco Gin & Tonic 250ml £1.20
Ashfield Lager 4 x 440ml £2.25
Ms Molly’s Soft Scoop Vanilla Ice Cream 2l £1.35 (Aldi price match)
Tesco 5 Fruity Helter Skelter Lollies £1.60
Tesco One-a-Day Hayfever & Allergy Relief 30 Tablets £2.95
Tesco Soleil SPF50+ Sun Lotion 200ml £2.80
TOTAL = £23.87
The most expensive basket overall.
Sainsbury’s 8 Pork Sausages £2.45
Sainsbury’s 4 Quarter Pounders £3.15
Warburtons 6 Soft White Rolls £1.30
Sainsbury’s 6 Jumbo Hot Dog Rolls £1.30
Sainsbury’s 50 White Paper Plates £2.50
Sainsbury’s 50 White Napkins £1.75
Sainsbury’s 10 Clear Plastic Tumblers £2
TigerTim 18 Firelighters £4
Sainsbury’s Diet Lemonade 2l 85p
Sainsbury’s Gin & Light Tonic £1.80
Carling Lager 4 x 440ml £4.85
Carte D’Or Vanilla Ice Cream 900ml £4.40
Rowntree’s 4 Fruit Pastilles Lollies £1.75
Sainsbury’s 30 Hayfever & Allergy Tablets £3.35
Nivea Sun Kids 50+ SPF Lotion 200ml £7
TOTAL = £41.15
Stamford Street 8 Pork Sausages £1.50
Sainsbury’s 4 Quarter Pounders £2.59
Stamford Street 4 White Rolls 69p
Sainsbury’s 6 White Jumbo Hot Dog Rolls 69p
Sainsbury’s Home 50 White Paper Plates £2.50
Sainsbury’s Home 100 White Napkins £1
Sainsbury’s Home 10 White Paper Cups £1.50
Bar-Be-Quick 24 Firelighters £2.50
Sainsbury’s Lemonade 2l 70p
Sainsbury’s Gin & Tonic £1.30
Sainsbury’s Crown Lager 4 x 440ml £2.25 (Aldi price match)
Stamford Street Soft Scoop Vanilla Ice Cream 2l £1.35
Sainsbury’s 8 Rocket Lollies £1.35
Sainsbury’s 30 Hayfever & Allergy Tablets £2.95
Sainsbury’s Sun Protect 30SPF Lotion 200ml £5.50
TOTAL = £28.37
Morrisons 8 Pork Sausages £2.50
Morrisons BBQ 4 Quarter Pounders £4
Warburton’s 6 Soft White Rolls £1.50
St Pierre 4 Brioche Hot Dog Rolls £2.20
Nutmeg Home 30 Paper Plates £1.75
Nutmeg Home 50 Red Napkins 75p
Morrisons 12 Union Jack Paper Cups 75p
Bar-Be-Quick 24 Firelighters £1.75
Morrisons Lemonade 2l £1.00
Gordon’s Gin & Tonic 250ml £2.65
Carling Lager 4 x 440ml £5
Carte D’Or Vanilla Ice Cream 900ml £3
Rowntree’s 4 Fruit Pastilles Lollies £2.75
Almus 30 Loratadine Allergy Tablets £2.90
Malibu 30 SPF Lotion Spray 200ml £6
TOTAL: £38.50
Morrisons Savers 8 Pork Sausages £1.50
Morrisons 4 Handmade Butchers Beef Burgers £2.40
Morrisons 6 Soft White Rolls 89p
Morrisons 6 Finger Rolls 85p
Morrisons Essentials 30 Paper Plates £1.75
Nutmeg Home 100 White Napkins £1
Nutmeg Home 8 White Cups 80p
Bar-Be-Quick 24 Firelighters £2.50
Morrisons Lemonade 2l 65p
Mix Up Gin and Tonic 250ml £1.15
Morrisons Lager 4 x 440ml £2.50
Morrisons Savers Vanilla Ice Cream 2l £1.35
Morrisons 4 Super Fruities Lollies £1.35
Morrisons One-a-Day Hayfever Relief £3
Morrisons Sun Lotion SPF30 200ml £3
TOTAL = £24.69
Asda Just Essentials 8 Pork Sausages £1.50
Asda Succulent 4 Quarter Pounders £2.49
Asda Bakery 4 White Rolls 85p
Asda Bakery 6 White Finger Rolls 85p
George Home 30 Paper Plates £1
George Home 100 Napkins £1
George Home 15 Reusable Plastic Tumblers £1
Zip 20 All Purpose Firelighters £2
Asda Lemonade 2l 60p
Gordon’s Gin & Tonic Can 250ml £2
Asda Pilsner 4 pack £3.75
Asda Just Essentials Vanilla Ice Cream 2l £1.35
Asda Just Essentials 8 Fruit Lollies £1.15
Asda 30 Allergy Tablets £2.50
Asda Protect 50 SPF Sun Lotion 200ml £3.20
TOTAL: £25.24
The cheapest basket overall
Asda Just Essentials 8 Pork Sausages £1.50
Asda Succulent 4 Quarter Pounders £2.49
Asda Just Essentials 6 White Rolls 49p
Asda Bakery 6 White Finger Rolls 85p
George Home Value 30 Paper Plates £1
George Home 100 Napkins £1
George Home 15 Large Plastic Tumblers £1
Zip 20 All Purpose Firelighters £2
Asda Lemonade 2l 60p
Gordon’s Gin & Tonic Can 250ml £2
Skol Lager 4 x 440ml £2.55
Asda Just Essentials Vanilla Ice Cream 2l £1.35
Asda Just Essentials 8 Fruit Lollies £1.15
Asda 30 Allergy Tablets £2.50
Asda Protect 30 SPF Sun Lotion 200ml £2.80
TOTAL = £23.32
Senior writer Alex Lloyd says: “The weather has been unpredictable this summer, so any barbecuing we’ve done has been very last minute
“This means it has been easier to nip to Sainsbury’s Local, a two minute walk from my house in York, than drive 15 minutes to one of the larger stores.
“But my price test shows just how much more expensive convenience stores really are. In fact, my nearby Sainsbury’s Local came out as the priciest of all eight shops I visited.
“The biggest price difference was at Tesco, which often price-matches with Aldi at its Extra stores, but not at its Express versions. That means identical products, like beef burgers, can often be much cheaper when bought at the big shop.
“Morrisons had the next biggest price difference, but the gap in costs at Asda’s stores was just £1.92. Asda Express even stocked its own-brand lager, as well as a number of Just Essential products.”
*Out of stock in the Tesco Express branch we visited. Pictured: Zip 24 Firelighters, £2, Tesco Extra
**Out of stock in the Tesco Extra we visited. Pictured: Richmond 8 Thick Sausages £2.60, Tesco Extra
***Out of stock in the Tesco Extra we visited. Pictured: 10 Red Paper Cups, £1.50, Tesco Extra
