EVERYONE is feeling the pinch at the supermarket checkout – but there’s one retailer that is helping shoppers with bargain prices.
I got nearly £30 worth of food for just £10 when I visited The Company Shop branch in Southampton.
The Sun’s Laura McGuire visited Southampton’s Company Shop to see how much she could save on her grocery shop The till was loaded with loads of pricey branded goods – including McCains oven chips and a posh M&S pork loin – but the total came in at under a £10 SolentCompany Shop is packed with loads of popular treats like Twix bars – but they are packaged differently and often sold in bulk[/caption] SolentCompany Shop stocks well known brands customers are familiar with such as Heniz Beanz[/caption]The retailer, which has 13 branches around the UK, has gone viral on TikTok for selling food from big name brands like Tesco, M&S, Asda and even McDonald’s at mega cheap prices.
The retailer buys up surplus stock – from well-known suppliers – that would otherwise be going to waste and sell it back to shoppers at a low price.
Sometimes, products may also be sold in damaged packaging or broken slightly but the goods are completely safe to eat.
Customers need to register for a free membership card to get inside the store and spend.
To qualify, you need to be claiming means tested benefits – such as Pension Credit – or work in sectors such as the NHS or fire brigade.
Locations include shops in Grimsby, Bradford, St Helens and Corby.
The first thing I saw as I headed into the shop was a row of shelves stocking popular seasoning kits and sauces made by Tesco and Sainsbury’s.
These are a staple in my house, so you can imagine my joy when I spotted a Tesco Thai Style Red Curry Rice Bake Flavour Kit for 95p.
These typically cost £1.85, so that is a saving of 90p.
I was impressed with all the meat on offer, even though I’m a veggie, I know how expensive adding protein to your shopping bill can be and I spotted loads of offers.
A giant 2.27kg smoked catering bacon was scanning for £9, when I have seen it priced for £16 elsewhere.
A litre of Yeo Valley milk normally costs over £2 but at Company shop it cost just 80p.
The fruit and veg aisle was also stacked with fresh produce and M&S bread was available to buy for just 40p.
What I bought when I visited The Company Shop
HERE's what I bought versus how much they would've cost at my local supermarket:
McCain’s Home Chips Straight £2 instead of £4.30 Clementine 600g – £0.50 instead of £1.34 Mini Watermelon – £0.50 instead of £2.30 Gü Cookies N Cream Dessert – £1.75 instead of £3.75 M&S Pepper Crust Pork – £2.75 instead of £5 M&S Petit Pois and Carrots – £0.75 instead of £3.50 M&S New Potatoes Vegetables – £0.35 instead of £3.20 Yorkie Original 3×46 – £0.75 instead of £2.25 Custard Creams 600g – £0.50 instead of 65pTotal saving: £16.44
TASTY TREATS
No grocery shop is complete without adding a few sweet treats to your basket, so I was very eager to see what Company Shop had to offer.
My eyes were immediately drawn to the massive 600g bags of orange flavoured Kit Kat’s scanning for just £2.
The Nestle chocolate is not in the typical red packaging you expect, but instead clear plastic bags.
COMPANY SHOP LOCATIONS
Bradford Corby Darlington Dudley Grimsby Leicester Long Eaton Middleton Renfrew St.Helens Southampton Washington Wentworth (Barnsley)That’s because a few in the package may be broken, but the snack is still completely safe to eat.
You can’t deny the saving too. Typically, a 160g multipack of the bars cost £2.20.
But here, you get an extra 440g of food for 20p less.
MCDONALD’S FREEZER FOOD
Heading over the freezer aisle, I was so impressed to see McCains Home Cut chips scanning for just £2.
These were once a favourite of mine, but the price has rocketed to over £4 at my local supermarket so I have steered clear of the crispy delight for a while.
But there was one thing on my mind as I approached the frozen section of the store.
Prior to my visit to Company Shop I heard rumours stores sold huge bags of frozen McDonald’s food, like chips, nuggets and even the limited edition McRib.
So I knew I needed to check for myself and see if it was true.
To my surprise, I found a massive 1kg bag of Garlic Cheese bites for just £5.
Sparks food at a budget price
By Laura McGuire
JANE WATTS, 67, is a retired NHS worker who has been shopping at the branch since it opened back in 2021.
She tells The Sun she likes to visit the store about two or three times a week and finds it a great place to nab cheap washing powder and soap.
One of her favourite shops is M&S and she finds the store is a great place to find Sparks food at a budget price.
It is not only Jane who has been making a saving, over 13,000 people in the area have a membership with Company Shop.
Better yet, the stores across the promises to sell food for at least 50% off what you would pay in store.
The delicious side has not been on Maccie’s menu for months so it was a surprise to see.
McDonald’s began its relationship with The Company Shop during the pandemic and gives food that would be going to waste to the retailer.
In the past, customers have even spotted rare limited edition menu items in the stores long after it had been pulled from the fast food chain.
That includes the famous McRib patties which were being sold for £2.50 per 1kg.
If you live nearby a Company Shop and you’re eligible to join, it seems like a no-brainer.
But the only thing I worried about was whether I’d have enough freezer and cupboard space to stash items on a regular basis.
Most of the produce is sold in bulk – but you could split it with a friend if you were worried about not having enough storage.
The Sun has been told there are no current plans to open more Company Shops in the coming months.
But the group also runs a sister organisation known as Community Shop, which run a further 14 locations across the UK.
These stores are exclusively for people claiming means tested benefits and offers the chance to buy a grocery shop for a third of the price.
Unlike, the Company Shop it also offers other services such as training and personal development and cafe serving discounted meals for the community.
SolentA big bag of Kit Kat orange chocolate, some of the pieces may be broken but the treat tastes the same[/caption] SolentYeo Valley milk scanning for 80p, a product that costs £1.95 at Waitrose[/caption] SolentExpect to see fancy meats – like this Morrisons slow cooked pork belly – in the chilled aisle.[/caption] SolentMcDonald’s gives food that would otherwise be going to waste to Company Shop, giving customers a chance to find frozen goodies from the Golden Arches[/caption] SolentPlenty of posh M&S grub to be found in the frozen aisle, including these Yorkshire Puddings for half off[/caption]How to save cash on your food shop
Money saving experts at HSBC UK have revealed their top tips to saving cash on your food shop.
1. Set a budgetCreating a budget will help to stretch your budget. Start by working out how much you spent on food over the last three months, then each month you get paid, set aside a certain amount for food.
2. Plan your meals Make a list of your main meals for the coming week, including the ingredients you need, and stick to it. Don’t get drawn into offers for things that you don’t need. If you already have some food leftover from the week before, try to see what you can do with that first.
3. Think about when and where you shopIt’s best to shop on a full stomach so you don’t get tempted. Shopping less often can help you to think about what you buy and it may help you to stick to your budget.
4. Go onlineShopping online is a good and easy way to manage your budget. It can also help to track expenses, whilst also preventing impulse buys.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( I visited a little-known supermarket where you can buy McDonald’s and M&S surplus stock but it costs HALF the price )
Also on site :