Studio brief 02 - Product, range and distribution - Specified research (4)

Loose fruit and veg 

An article posted by moneysavingexpert.com explored by buying in bulk has its disadvantages and if we are getting the best deal when we buy in bulk?

"fruit and veg can save you a packet" Products unpackaged and packaged can greatly range in price. Jordon Cox known as MoneySavingExpert's Coupon Kid explored how different these prices are and whether there is a deceptive system within supermarkets.

Jordon conducted a test which explored different supermarkets and the difference in price between loose fruit and veg and packaged. 

Results found:

All the products were the same size 

Bananas 

5 Pre packaged: £1 
Loose bananas: 47p 

Onions 

3 pre packaged: 59p
3 loose: 38p 

Broccoli 

Pre packaged: 50p
Loose: 47p

Mushrooms 

Pre-packaged: 90p

Loose: 80p

Courgettes

Pre packaged: £1.50 

Loose: £1 

Apples: 

Prepackaged: £2.36

Loose: £1.80

Its evident that packaged food has the disadvantage of being more expensive sometimes twice as more and sometimes not that much in difference at all. The worst examples for overcharging were bananas, mushrooms broccoli and potatoes, there is definitely a consideration for this research when it comes to purchasing produce in saving money. 

                                                                           

Article posted by the guardian on the issue of saving money with retail perceptions being presented to customers within their 'special deals'

Sometimes the '25% extra' deals don't mean as they might. The question of whether pre packaged fruit and veg actually have better deals is up for debate. Ed Richards (Blacnford forum) is definitely sure that the way that fruit and veg is displayed in packaging doesn't seem to have the weight of the product in comparison to loose fruit and veg so there is no easy opportunity for consumers to compare and get the better deal. 

There could be a benefit of weighing packaged fruit and veg with loose and comparing if there is a desire to save money and also reduce the amount of waste within the unnecessary packaging being used.