With households across the country still continuing to feel the pinch of the cost of living crisis, many have been looking for ways to save some of their hard-earned money - especially at the supermarket.
Costs for the weekly grocery shopping has steadily increased this year due to soaring food inflation, leading to shoppers looking for ways to budget on their next trip to the supermarket.
One recommendation to help save some pennies over a longer period of time is to bulk buy, but where is the cheapest place for offering larger quantities of products?
Supermarket chain Tesco is well-known for its large quantities of bulk buys, with aisles dedicated to them in-stores. But, how do they fair against Costco, a retailer well-known for providing discounted prices on larger products?
Well, that's what Parenting Writer Emma Gill from the MEN set out to find out. Visiting her local Tesco in Walkden, Salford, and Costco's Trafford Park branch, she found that one store was cheaper for nearly ever single item. Here is how she got on.
"I managed to avoid being distracted by the Christmas gift displays and sniffed past the fresh cookies and cakes to reach the items I was looking for - mainly drinks, laundry products and toilet rolls that I knew I could directly compare with Tesco's prices.
"While most items I picked up were like-for-like, there were some where I had to buy the brand level equivalent, such as Costco's Finish dishwasher tablets compared with Tesco's Fairy.
"With toilet roll - something that has shot up in price recently - I opted for the largest pack available in each store. While Tesco had a 30-pack of Cushelle for £13.50, Costco's Kirkland Signature 40-packs are selling for £16.18.
"You get 240 sheets of three-ply per roll too, compared with 180 sheets of two-ply per roll with the Cushelle pack. It all sounds very dull doesn't it, but if you don't want to be throwing money down the toilet then it's worth taking note.
"Judging by the fact three packs were snapped up by customers in the few minutes I was standing there, I'm sure I wasn't the only one thinking it was a pretty good deal.
"And there were plenty more deals too. In fact almost every item I bought from Trafford Park's Costco was cheaper than Tesco, making its overall bill £103.96, a whopping £23.09 cheaper in fact.
"It was only the cans of pop that worked out cheaper at Tesco - £7.50 for a 24-pack of 7UP compared with £11.63 for 24 cans of Diet Coke in Costco. While Diet Coke wasn't in Tesco's bulk buy aisle, its 24-pack would still have been cheaper at £10.
"The only other items I bought that weren't specifically from Tesco's 'bulk buys' were Robinsons orange cordial and Coco Pops. They were exactly the same sizes and Costco was cheaper for both. The Robinsons was reduced with the retailer's Clubcard scheme, down from £3.50 a bottle to £2. Yet Costco's price - at £3.58 for a pack of two - still came in cheaper.
"The tins of tuna were probably the hardest to compare as the pack sizes and products themselves differ. The nearest comparison we could find was Costco's 12-pack of John West tuna chunks with Tesco's 8-pack of Princes chunks. While the latter is in spring water, rather than brine, it works out a lot more expensive, at £9.45 for a equivalent 12-pack compared with Costco's £8.19.
"There were lots more deals I didn't take advantage of in Costco, mainly because there's no bulk buy equivalent in Tesco. A 12-pack of Colgate toothpastes, on offer at £8.39 and a six-pack of Source shower gels - for £4.42 - were among the main ones to catch my eye.
"Of course you have to factor in a membership fee for Costco at £33.60 a year, but that's less than £3 a month so it wouldn't take too long to claw it back and it's accessible to a lot more people than it used to be.
"A list of professions from which current or retired employees can apply is listed here and members can add on a spouse for free, or get an extra card for £14 plus vat, so it shouldn't be too difficult to get your hands on one.
"Given the number of Tescos there are compared with Costcos, it's always likely to be more accessible for shoppers however. And judging by the savings you can make in the bulk aisle, it's well worth taking a look next time you're there."
Full shopping list with prices Costco / Tesco
- Fairy non bio 4.5L £15.59 / £17
- Comfort fabric softener 5L £5.74 / £6.50
- Dishwasher tablets Finish/Fairy (2x100) £17.98 / £26.50
- Toilet rolls £16.18 for 40 / £13.50 for 30 (equivalent of £18 for 40)
- Tetley teabags £8.99 for 720 / £8 for 600 (equivalent of £9.60 for 720)
- Douwe Egberts coffee £10.89 / £11.50
- Robinsons orange juice £3.58 / £4 Clubcard
- Diet Coke / 7UP £11.63 / £7.50
- Kellogg's Coco Pops 2 x 720g £5.19 / £7
- Tuna £8.19 for 12x145g / £6.30 for 8x145g (equivalent of £9.45 for 12)
Total £103.96 / £127.05
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