Loose or pre packed

plu

Today, a pre pack bag of bananas at my local Tesco costs 2.19. However if you buy by weight @ 1.25 / kg the bag works out at 1.59. Loose bananas actually looked nicer.

I've noticed the same before with mushrooms, carrots, etc

Therefore my bargain alert is that savings can be made by choosing either loose product or pre packed

bazwaldo

Noticed that too a few weeks ago in Tesco with the bananas.

Same applies to big vs small packs/tubs/cartons of non fruit and veg products. Very often the smaller one is better value. Sneaky feckers!

Nanoc

I always just look at the price per kilo, always printed on the very bottom of the price tag. Then buy cheapest

okidoki987

Nearly always the same, you are paying for the packaging.

Pique

Rip open the pack and buy them as loose.
Sorted

ted1

does fruit in a package incur VAT (is it classed as prepared)?

Danbo!

I 'ignorantly' weigh pre-packed bananas, etc, at the self-service checkouts.

MadsL

plu wrote: »

Today, a pre pack bag of bananas at my local Tesco costs 2.19. However if you buy by weight @ 1.25 / kg the bag works out at 1.59. Loose bananas actually looked nicer.

I've noticed the same before with mushrooms, carrots, etc

Therefore my bargain alert is that savings can be made by choosing either loose product or pre packed

This is illegal and Tesco have been caught many times doing it, including by me!!

Unit pricing
Unit pricing makes it easier for you to compare prices in different sizes and from different manufacturers, as you can compare the cost of 1 kilogramme or 1 litre of similar products.

By law, shops must display both the selling price and the unit price on or near to the item. Both prices usually appear on the same label at the edge of the shelf, with the selling price printed bigger and the unit price underneath.

If the shop doesn't have equipment for printing shelf-edge labels or for point-of-sale scanning, then it doesn't have to display the unit price, only the selling price.

http://www.consumerhelp.ie/price-display

Please make a complaint at their Helpline lo-call 1890 432 432 or http://www.consumerhelp.ie/contact-form

Tesco are persistently misreading the law when it comes to pre-packaged goods not needing a unit weight. The law refers to mixed nuts or mixed veg for instance where it is impossible to give the unit weight.

Tesco use this to rip off unwary customers. Don't buy it and document and report it.

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/tesco-one-of-seven-firms-fined-for-not-displaying-their-prices-26462607.html

ted1

MadsL wrote: »

This is illegal and Tesco have been caught many times doing it, including by me!!

Unit pricing
Unit pricing makes it easier for you to compare prices in different sizes and from different manufacturers, as you can compare the cost of 1 kilogramme or 1 litre of similar products.

By law, shops must display both the selling price and the unit price on or near to the item. Both prices usually appear on the same label at the edge of the shelf, with the selling price printed bigger and the unit price underneath.

If the shop doesn't have equipment for printing shelf-edge labels or for point-of-sale scanning, then it doesn't have to display the unit price, only the selling price.

http://www.consumerhelp.ie/price-display

Please make a complaint at their Helpline lo-call 1890 432 432 or http://www.consumerhelp.ie/contact-form

Tesco are persistently misreading the law when it comes to pre-packaged goods not needing a unit weight. The law refers to mixed nuts or mixed veg for instance where it is impossible to give the unit weight.

Tesco use this to rip off unwary customers. Don't buy it and document and report it.

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/tesco-one-of-seven-firms-fined-for-not-displaying-their-prices-26462607.html

whats illegal?

the OP never stated the there was no unit pricing being displayed.
the bananas are classed as two different products, where they from the same source, same breand etc.

Nanazolie

ted1 wrote: »

whats illegal?

the OP never stated the there was no unit pricing being displayed.
the bananas are classed as two different products, where they from the same source, same breand etc.

Definitively not illegal. However, it's very likely that the price per unit for the bagged bananas displays 'xxx cents each', making it impossible to compare them to the loose ones that are priced per kilo

Larger stores usually have scales so that you can weight and compare yourself. But 2.19€ for bagged bananas is a real rip off (unless there are 10 or so large bananas in the bag, of course)

snubbleste

Where's the bargain?

bazwaldo

snubbleste wrote: »

Where's the bargain?

I hope you're joking!

Amalgam

I whinged about this in boards.ie > Biz > Consumer > Rip Off Ireland > Tesco outrageous price hikes a while back.

..are they able to sidetrack by promising a 'minimum'. I notice on the bags they state a fruit piece minimum, say 'minimum 8 bananas' etc.. but no weight.

Always buy loose now. Tesco aren't the only ones at this though.

PeterDuggan

Even if they're more expensive, buying loose is better value (and environmentally conscious) if you buy just what you need.

rochestown

I have just come back from Holyhead where i saw loose bananas in Tesco for £68p/kg - unfortunately it still looks like we are still living in Rip Of Ireland!!

L1011

Wheres the Tesco in Holyhead? Been a while since I went looking for shops there mind.

snubbleste

Just checked
http://bit.ly/1fJSC05

bren2001

If the stuff in a pack ever looks nicer but costs more than the loose items I just open the pack and take them out.

L1011

snubbleste wrote: »

Just checked
http://bit.ly/1fJSC05

That got old about five years ago. Maps don't work particularly well on a phone on useless O2 EDGE.

plu

PeterDuggan wrote: »

Even if they're more expensive, buying loose is better value (and environmentally conscious) if you buy just what you need.

They were cheaper loose

wmpdd3

I dont get it, loose bananas are always about 24c - 27c each, I only ever but one or 2 at a time.

Thats pretty much the same as the other bananas whether they are in a bag or not.

Anyway aldi fair trade bananas are the nicest.

Steviemoyne

Was in supervalue, 4 pack supervalue lemons for €2.99 packaged in a plastic wrapper with a tray. Loose they were 40 cent each making it €1.60 (The loose ones were also larger) so for lemons, you're paying an extra €1.39 for a poxy plastic tray and wrapper.

Most of their other packed stuff were on offer meaning that the 50cent+ loose versions were not cheaper. Take away the offers however and they are (eg: oranges loose rather than packed which again were larger).

The moral of the bargain seems to be keep an eye on what you're buying and consider alternatives. In this case loose rather than prepacked. Same can be said for ham packaged rather than at deli counters in odd cases.
I've found a similar situation with fish in dunnes, regardless of how nice or fresh it is the packaged ends up more expensive than buying from the fish counter.

MOH

It's not just fruit. (And not just Tesco)

Twin pack of 2 litre Coke(+Diet/Zero) in Tesco is something like €4.39, individual 2 litres are 2 for €3.
Toilet roll is often cheaper to buy multiple 4-packs rather than the larger packs.
There's a lot of other stuff where buying larger quantities works out more expensive per unit than smaller packs.

Sometimes the difference is marginal, but as Tesco say, every little helps.

Thephantomsmask

Things like tinned tuna often *conveniently* have the price per 100g drained value calculated from the undrained weight instead especially the more expensive brands, making them appear better value. I always do my own unit price calculations after spotting that.

rubadub

Nanoc wrote: »

I always just look at the price per kilo, always printed on the very bottom of the price tag. Then buy cheapest

The unit / per kg /per litre prices in tesco are frequently wrong.

If anybody finds a tesco that honours incorrect unit pricing in their "incorrect price" refund policy let me know.

MuffinsDa

LIDL are also guilty of it - they were selling loose cherries at around €12 per kilo, whereby right next to them, the pre-packed ones were €7 per kilo. I thought loose ones were better quality but upon inspection they were pretty much identical quality.

physioman

In ald the pre packed bananas are cheaper than the loose ones. Happened to weigh them in store the other day

physioman

physioman wrote: »

In ald the pre packed bananas are cheaper than the loose ones. Happened to weigh them in store the other day

Aldi

papu

rochestown wrote: »

I have just come back from Holyhead where i saw loose bananas in Tesco for £68p/kg - unfortunately it still looks like we are still living in Rip Of Ireland!!

It's only a Rip off if you pay for it.