Prices for everyday essentials at the supermarket continue to increase but Britons can slash their bills by being careful about what they buy.
Food inflation was at 19.1 percent for the year to April, with prices for everyday basics such as eggs, milk and butter continuing to go up.
Brean Horne, personal finance expert at NerdWallet, shared some tips for savvy savers to slash their bills, which together could save a household more than £1,700 a year.
Set a budget and make a meal plan
It only takes a short while to create a budget and meal plan but Ms Horne said these are “essential” to reducing food shopping costs.
She said: “It gives you an idea of how much you can spend on food each week or month. Planning as best you can for each day informs what you buy, and how much you buy to ensure it fits your budget.”
This is a hugely important tool on reducing food waste, which costs the average UK household around £800 a year, or around £67 a month.
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Always have a shopping list
This goes for shopping online or in store, as this will help a person stick to their budget and avoid overspending.
When a person make their list, they should check if they have any of the items at home already so they only buy what they need.
People can also avoid impulse buying by having a meal or snack before doing their food shopping so they aren’t tempted to indulge in an extra purchase because they are feeling peckish.
Research by Nectar found those who write a shopping list save £11 on each shop on average compared to those who don’t.
Based on this figure, if a person does one shop a week, they would save £572 over the course of a year.
Compare food prices
Discount supermarkets often offer a cheaper alternative to other superstore chains. But people can also compare prices using comparison sites and apps.
Ms Horne recommended trying websites such as Trolley and My Supermarket Compare to find the best price.
People may also want to try online food suppliers such as Approved Food, who sell items close to their best before date at a fraction of the normal price.
Which? research found grocery prices can fluctuate by up to 284 percent meaning a weekly food shop could cost almost three times as much as the previous week, so it’s worthwhile comparing prices.
Keep track of spending
Many online grocery shops allow a person to limit how much they spend and a shopper can see the total they will have to spend for the items in their basket.
This also helps avoid being tempted by deals for products a person doesn’t actually need to buy.
One way to make big savings is to look for own-brand items, which can be up to 90 percent cheaper than big brand items.
Use rewards and discounts
People can earn points and rewards through supermarket loyalty schemes which can be used to save money on a future shop.
There may also be deals and discount codes available in supermarket magazines and on receipts.
Money saving websites such as SuperSavvyMe and VoucherCloud also offer coupons and discounts.
Ms Horne said: “It’s also worth checking whether your debit card or credit card allows you to earn cashback at your supermarkets which could help you save on future shops.
“Remember to only buy what you need and stick to your shopping list. While discounts and rewards can be tempting, overspending may lead to offsetting any savings you could make.”
For example, Tesco Clubcard and Nectar give one point for every £1 a person spends, which can be spent in store once a person achieves 250 points, or £250.
This means a person earns one percent of their total spend back, which could save the average family £30 on their monthly shop, or £360.
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