Supermarkets called on to do more amid ‘extraordinary cost-of-living crisis’

Supermarkets are being called on to do more to help consumers as an “alarming” number of households struggle with cost-of-living crisis. 

According to Which?, the grocers – along with telecoms and energy firms – “can and should do more to help”. It focused on supermarkets specifically, saying they needed to provide clear and comparable pricing and ensure affordable budget ranges are available in areas where they are needed most. 

The watchdog’s plea came after the survey that suggested 65 percent of families – around 18.2 million households – had resorted to measures such as cutting back on essentials, selling items or dipping into savings to pay their bills. 

A quarter of UK consumers (26 percent) are having trouble sleeping due to worries about paying the bills, the poll showed. 

Which? director of policy and advocacy, Rocio Concha, said: “Our research has found that many households are struggling with the financial and emotional impact of the cost-of-living crisis – with record numbers having to cut back on essentials just to stay afloat. 

“Which? is calling on businesses to do all they can to support their customers through this extraordinary cost-of-living crisis. While government intervention is necessary, we also believe businesses across essential services can and should do more to help.” 

Which? Revealed last month that unit pricing on groceries is still not up to scratch – leading shoppers to potentially miss out on big savings. Its investigation found unit pricing – which enables shoppers to compare value by the cost per unit (for example per 100g or 100ml) – is often unclear, inconsistent or absent. 

“Supermarket shelves are often full of different-sized versions of the same groceries. The common belief that bigger generally means better value is often true – but that’s not always the case. This is where unit pricing is a shopper’s saviour. If you know the price per 100g or 100ml, you can see which is the cheapest straight away,” said the report released on Aug 23.