This is week 2 in an on-going experiment to see whether I can save money at the supermarket by using product location to my advantage. The rules are stated here and week 1 results are here.

Given that I am checking every week, prices do not fluctuate too much but we are beginning to see a pattern.

Here are my results for week two:Baked Beans (398 ml can)

Ideal location- $1.19 (Heinz)
Less ideal location- $0.79 (Compliments)
Difference- $0.30
% Difference- 21%

Olive Oil (1 Litre bottle)

Ideal location- $10.79 (Bertolii)
Less ideal location- $7.99 (Carapelli)
Difference- $2.80
% Difference- 26 *

I am putting a huge asterisks here again though- the products have no ideal or non-ideal location- located on same shelf

Snack Bars (175g box)

Ideal location-$3.19 (Kellogg’s Nutri Grain)
Less ideal location- $2.99 (Quaker Chewy Bar)
Difference- $0.20
% Difference- 6

Shampoo

Ideal location- $2.19 (Finesse, 330 ml)
Less ideal location- $1.99 (European Formula, 350 ml)
Difference- $0.20
% Difference-9

Tissue

Ideal location- $2.69 (114 sheets of 3 ply tissue by Kleenex)
Less ideal location- $1.59 (140 sheets of 3 ply tissue by Royale)
Difference- $1.10
% Difference- 40

There is a difference is product size so the % difference is greater if you calculated it per tissue.

There have been a few emerging trends after 2 weeks of this experiment. I am quite surprised at the high % price difference in staples (beans and oil). I would have thought that, being a staple, the price difference would not be that great. However, as the above notes, olive oil does not seem to have any ideal product placement. In hindsight, I should have compared corn oil which has a wider selection and more manufacturers. Conversely, the other pattern that surprises me is that a discretionary item like a snack bar has such a small % price difference (its discretionary to me). I would have thought these types of items would have a high end and lower end selection given the discretionary nature of the product.

However, after 2 weeks, one thing is consistent- in every case, picking an item from a less ideal location is cheaper than picking an item from eye level/ideal location. Not accounting for taste and quality, it is beginning to appear that working against product geography imposed by the supermarket will help saving you money. There’s 2 more weeks to go in the experiment. I welcome your comments.

There will be no posts on Friday since I am travelling. Have a good weekend.