This technique straight from the UK could save 1000 euros per year on your groceries.
Supermarkets have very convincing marketing techniques to attack consumers’ shopping budgets. In these places, everything is designed to encourage customers to spend more than expected. The very layout of supermarkets also gives rise to overconsumption. Indeed, basic necessities are found on both sides of the store, forcing consumers to browse numerous departments. With so many temptations.
The placement of products on the shelves is not left to chance either. The items considered to be the most profitable are placed at the height of customers who only take quick glances at the other shelves, where better offers can be found.
The British site Money Saving Expert presents a technique that could save up to 1,000 euros per year in the shopping budget. In practice, the “downshift challenge” is very simple to apply. The key is to move away from the principle that price is a guarantee of quality. This belief, which applies to all types of products, is not always true. The “downshift challenge” requires looking beyond the packaging and marketing that surrounds a product. Simply test the sub-brands of a product to check the quality/price ratio of the item. It happens that these cheaper products are sometimes of the same quality as a product displayed at a higher price. Which therefore amounts to spending more unnecessarily on a product.
We must therefore pay attention to the vocabulary used on packaging. So-called “premium” products will probably be the most expensive, emphasizing the exclusive quality of an item. Then come the products of the brands of the large groups, less expensive but which are still among the high-priced products. In the middle of this scale is the supermarket brand whose prices are already more attractive. The last step in this price chain is occupied by “discount” brands which emphasize their “low price” and “everyday products” aspect.
The concept of the “downshift challenge” is therefore to choose a product from a lower range brand than that usually chosen. No need to go from one extreme to the other, choosing the range directly below can make the difference. If you like the cheaper product just as much, you will buy this one from now on, instead of the more expensive one. Please less, keep more expensive in your habits. According to Money Saving Expert, the most radical will make at least 30% savings, the most moderate, those who will make a mix between lower-end products and more expensive products which retain their preference will make 15%. economy. Which is therefore estimated at around 1000 euros per year.
However, this tip should not call into question the quality of the products consumed. If an item is cheaper but contains controversial ingredients, it probably makes more sense to prioritize health. This is why this technique can be particularly interesting for the purchase of non-food items, in particular cleaning products such as laundry detergent or dishwashing liquid.