Fight back against rising food prices

Food prices are rising at an astronomic rate, but these 13 tips will turn you into a smarter supermarket shopper!

First things first: I really, honestly dislike shopping.

In fact, given the choice between a couple of hours on the high street or the same time spent in my local hospital's casualty department, it would be a close call.

The science of shopping

Of course, it's simply not possible to avoid shopping altogether, as it's the basis of modern consumer capitalism. At some point, every one of us visits the shops, whether via a quick trip to our local parade or a weekly visit to an out-of-town supermarket.

However, when I do shop, I try my best to beat the system by paying close attention to the sophisticated 'science of shopping'. As retailing becomes ever-more sophisticated, an entire industry has sprung up using evolutionary psychology to push the 'buying buttons' in our brains.

These marketing experts advise supermarkets on every aspect of store design, from where to put promotional items (near the store entrance or at aisle-ends) to how to stack shelves (put cheap items at floor level and 'premium' brands at eye level).

They also put huge effort into store layouts: fresh fruit and vegetables are the first thing you see (to make the whole store appear wholesome), whereas milk, bread and other staples lie deep inside the store. Music, lighting and smells (such as baking bread) are all carefully chosen to maximise our visiting times -- a technique known as 'multi-sensory marketing'.

Beat the system

In effect, every aspect of a supermarket is designed to extract every penny possible from our wallets and purses. And at the moment, that's a severe cost - food prices are currently rising at their fastest rate in two years, with the cost of staples like pasta and bread jumping a remarkable 25%.

In order to fight back against this emotional hijacking, I try very hard to be a rational shopper.

Related how-to guide

Cut your food bills

As food prices continue to rise, here's some handy ways to keep your food bills under control.

See the guide

I do this by avoiding distractions and concentrating on bargain-hunting. One thing in my favour is that I'm left-handed, whereas most stores are laid out for maximum appeal to the right-handed majority (over 90% of adults).

To help you get smarter in the supermarket, here are 13 tips to pick 'n' mix:

BEFORE YOU GO

1. Don't take the kids

When my wife and I take our son and daughter shopping, we invariably spend more. Supermarkets are brilliant at appealing to pint-sized consumers -- for example, sweets are usually located opposite breakfast cereals and next to the tills.

Hence, it's probably a good idea to shop without children, especially young 'uns. If you must take them, I find lollipops help to distract children during the grand tour of Tesco.

2. Don't shop when starving

The best time to go shopping is after you've had a meal and are feeling full. Otherwise, if you shop while hungry, expensive rotisserie chickens and other unhealthy, expensive items become that much more mouth-watering. I've been shocked by how much I can spend when starving versus when stuffed.

3. Love your list

Surveys suggest that up to two-fifths (40%) of items bought in supermarkets are spur-of-the-moment, impulse buys.

Your shopping list is probably the best defence against buying items on a whim that you really don't need. By buying only what's on your list, you save time and money, putting you more in control and feeling less like livestock being herded around a store.

4. Shop online

My wife reckons the best way to shop smartly is to do it online. By planning meals a week ahead, she can order what she needs online without the usual distractions on offer in the aisles. Also, she has a repeat order which is easy to tailor on a weekly basis. Shopping online often works out cheaper, too.

5. Compare before you go

Before you shop, get into the habit of visiting mySupermarket. This comparison website allows you to check prices at ASDA, Ocado, Sainsbury's and Tesco (plus Majestic Wines and Virgin Wines) before you shop. mySupermarket reckons that using its service could save a typical household £1,000 a year.

IN THE STORE

6. Beware of bulk buys

7. Decode supermarket deals

The supermarkets' favourite marketing tool is BOGOF: buy one, get one free. This offer is clever, because it doesn't make you spend less; instead, it gives you twice as much for your money. Alas, the second pack sometimes ends up in the bin, along with 8.3 million tonnes of food we throw away each year in the UK.

Hence, before you're enticed into buying more of a product, ask yourself two questions:

Do I really need this extra portion?
Can I pay less by ignoring this 'special offer'?

If the answers to these two questions are 'No' and 'Yes', then you should skip the special offer.

8. Make full use of loyalty cards

Smooth shoppers earn as they spend by maximising their returns from cashback, vouchers, coupons and other money-saving offers.

John Fitzsimons looks at the easy ways you can boost your loyalty points, and nab all sorts of free goodies!

The UK's most popular loyalty schemes are the Tesco Clubcard, Nectar card and Boots Advantage card, all of which have between 15 and 17 million users. The points collected via such schemes -- usually worth around £1 per £200 spent -- can be redeemed in-store or via discount vouchers with a value three times the value of the points.

However, being a loyalty-card sharp takes practice, so it's worth learning how to get more bang for your buck. For example, did you know that you can earn Nectar points from Amazon purchases by visiting this and other online retailers via the Nectar website?

Also, wherever you shop, take a cashback credit card with you. Mine rewards me with a cash refund worth 1% of my spending, which has been as high as £150 in a single year.

9. Avoid processed meals

Processed meals often contain high levels of salt, fat and sugar, making them less healthy than home-prepared alternatives. What's more, they're heavily over-packaged, so they're bad for the environment, too.

As with many convenience foods, processed meals are often expensive, yet use low-quality ingredients. This maximises profit margins for manufacturers and retailers. Rather than buying prepared foods, concoct your own reliable recipes for tastier, healthier meals.

10. Don't buy these items

As well as being environmentally damaging, some items are a complete rip-off.

Here, I'm thinking of bottled water, pre-chopped vegetables (especially bagged salads), jars of tomato sauce for pasta, individual juice cartons, and so on. Avoid.

11. Beware of 'premium' ranges

Each of the UK's Big Four supermarkets has an upmarket, premium, pricier range. Tesco has 'Finest', Sainsbury's has 'Taste the Difference', ASDA has 'Extra Special' and Morrisons has 'The Best'.

In theory, the chains claim that these ranges offer 'restaurant quality' food and drink. In practice, some of these top-of-the-range products are "wolves in sheep's clothing". That's because the packaging may be classy, but the contents may hardly differ from those inside other own-label ranges.

In other words, you're paying over the odds for slick packaging and alluring adjectives.

12. Check for RFQS

The smart shopper's favourite acronym is RFQS, short for Reduced For Quick Sale. RFQS items are those past-their-best goods found in the bargain bins placed discreetly around stores.

In these bins are goods that are close to their best-before dates, as well as dented cans and other shop-soiled articles. RFQS bins can be a goldmine, as discounts for quick sale can be as high as 75% to 90% off retail prices.

Personally, I'm always delighted when I find something on my shopping list in the RFQS bin!

13. Subscribe to Frugal Food

And finally, each and every week we put together the Frugal Food blog, rounding up the best new deals in all the supermarkets, as well as highlighting some amazing restaurant deals. Be sure to subscribe so that you don't miss out on the new offers each week!

> What's your smartest shopping tip? Please tell us in the comments box below!

More: Choose a cashback credit card | How to be a cashback king | Your landline is too expensive