Sep 15, 2023
Cost of living: Loyalty card prices mask price hikes, says Which?
Which? says Sainsburys and Tesco are inflating the regular price advertised for a product so that the promotional prices offered to loyalty scheme members look like a better deal than they really are. The regular price had also been £6 at Sainsbury's until it went up to £8.10 just two days before the Nectar price launched, Which? said. "The base price of this item has been £8.10 since December 2022 and £6 was a promotional price throughout this year, including on Nectar Prices when it launched in April," a spokesperson for Sainsbury's said. Which? found Heinz Salad Cream at Tesco with a Clubcard price of £3.50 and a regular price of £3.90, even though its regular price had been £2.99 for several weeks before it was increased to £3.90 - just 22 days before the Clubcard promotion. A CMA spokesperson said: "Grocery prices are a huge concern to people all over the country and shoppers need help to spot the best value for their money. That's why the CMA has a programme of work in the groceries sector such as looking into unit pricing practices online and instore. We will consider the information provided by Which? about its recent investigation into loyalty prices."
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