A sale is a prompt to compare
Before buying, check:
- What was the regular price?
- What is the unit price?
- Is another package cheaper per unit?
- Is the price restricted to members or multiple units?
- Will you use everything you buy?
Multibuy offers
“Two for $8” works when you need two. If you only need one, a single $4.29 item costs less today.
Check whether the single item receives the promotional price. Then decide based on planned quantity, not the size of the discount printed on the tag.
Shrinkflation
A package can return to its old sale price after becoming smaller. The sticker looks familiar while the unit price has increased.
Compare grams, millilitres, sheets, loads, or count. Package design is not a reliable measurement.
Loyalty-only pricing
Member prices can be worthwhile, but they are not universal prices. Read the terms and separate the shelf price from the value of points earned later.
Bigger is not always cheaper
Family-size packages can cost more per unit during a promotion on the smaller size. They can also create waste if the product expires before it is used.
Calculate the cost you will pay
Use these steps:
- Confirm the exact quantity you will buy
- Calculate the price per unit
- Compare the same product at another local store
- Include waste and unused quantity
- Choose the lower real cost
Unit pricing helps you choose between different formats. A price-match request generally needs the same product and package, so do not submit a different size simply because its unit price is lower.
Skip promotions that change the plan
Promotions are valuable when they reduce the price of a planned purchase. When they change your quantity, brand, or shopping list, calculate the total again. The discount may be real while the purchase is still unnecessary. The grocery inflation calculator can help put a sale price in context against rising baseline costs.