Has your local supermarket cut its budget range?

When you’re trying to keep costs down at the supermarket, you’ll naturally look towards the budget versions of your favourite items - but they’re becoming harder to find.

According to The Grocer, budget own-brand ranges at supermarkets have shrunk by about 5% in the last year.

Tesco has made the biggest cut, reducing its budget range by approximately 18.7%, followed by:

• Morrisons - 14.7%
• Sainsbury’s - 7.6%
• Aldi - 7%

Why are budget ranges being slashed?

At a time when so many shoppers are worried about the rising cost of living, you might be surprised that supermarket budget ranges are getting smaller.

But it’s partly because retailers are using other ways of showing customers that they offer good value.

For example, they’re offering more deals to people with loyalty cards, or offering price matches with other, cheaper supermarkets.

And according to Valentins Kirillovs, head of grocery at CACI, shoppers are becoming “far more selective” when it comes to value and quality.

“In that context, ultra-basic own-label lines are often the first to be dropped,” he said.

“If an item feels risky, or dispensable, it simply doesn’t make it into the basket.”

Other supermarkets expanding budget ranges

While some major supermarkets are trimming their budget ranges, others are actually going the other way.

Asda, for example, has expanded its budget range by 14.6%, and Lidl’s has grown by 19%.

What can I do to keep costs down?

Of course, buying cheaper products is just one way to bring down your shopping bill.

So what else can you do if you want to save money?

Write a list and stick to it

Before you shop, plan your meals in advance, make a list of what you need and only buy what’s written on it.

If it’s not written down, you don't pick it up.

Shop smart

When money’s tight, having a few low-cost, versatile ingredients, such as rice and frozen veg, in your kitchen can make a big difference.

Check out our list of 12 ingredients you need in your kitchen.

Understand food labels

Many of us throw out perfectly good food because we don’t always understand the information given on the label.

For example, you might chuck something out because of the sell-by date.

But that information is for the retailer, not the customer, so it’s well worth understanding what use-by, best before and sell-by dates really mean.

That means you can throw out less food, cut waste and not need to put as much in your trolley next time round.

Swap instead of sacrifice

If the cost of one ingredient has gone up, think about possible cheaper alternatives.

For example, if butter’s gone up, could margarine or oil work for what you need? 

Create a budget 

If you’re struggling with the cost of your weekly shop, check out our guide on how to create a budget.

By keeping an eye on how much money you’ve got coming in and going out, you can prioritise your spending and know how much you can afford.

For more money saving tips, check our other ideas on how to keep the cost of your weekly shop down.