Latest news with #supermarkets
Auto Express
6 hours ago
- Automotive
- Auto Express
You shouldn't assume supermarkets will offer the lowest petrol and diesel prices
For longer than most of us can remember, the financial rules of the refuelling game at forecourts have been fair and easy to understand. In the interests of genuine and much-needed consumer choice, it has gone a bit like this… Motorists watching the pennies have tended to shop at Sainsbury's, Morrisons, Asda and other supermarkets where own-brand fuel has been cheapest. Drivers less concerned about prices have used traditional forecourts, where oil giants such as Esso and Shell sell generally more expensive fuels. This is a textbook case of you pay your money and take your choice! I've long believed that such a consumer-friendly arrangement couldn't be simpler. Advertisement - Article continues below But for the first time ever, I'm starting to question it. No longer can I, or you, assume that supermarkets will offer the lowest pump prices. I hope I'm wrong, but I fear that the rules of engagement are changing, because in the hundreds of miles I've driven over the past week, I've bought fuel everywhere from traditional forecourts to supermarkets – and it's the latter that have got their prices horribly wrong as far as I, and my wallet, are concerned. Examples of outlets (in the same area) I bought from, or boycotted, within a 24-hour window last week: unleaded costing 131p per litre (£5.95 a gallon) on Esso forecourts (plural) and 132p (£6.00) at a nearby Shell garage. Yet just up the road, a Sainsbury's site demanded 135p (£6.14) and Morrisons and Asda outlets wanted 134p (£6.08). Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below I fear it could be the end of an era. The business model that has hitherto operated on the basis that supermarkets should offer the cheapest fuel seems broken. Great shame, that. And before anyone argues that all this tight-fisted, penny-pinching stuff from me is unimportant in the great scheme of things, consider this: a private motorist driving 10,000 miles annually over 50 years – between the ages of 18 and 68 perhaps – will enjoy half a million miles, or thereabouts, behind the wheel. If he or she typically achieves around 40mpg and, at today's prices, pays £7 a gallon (154 ppl) instead of the sub-£6 gallon (131p) he/she could be paying, £250 will be wasted every year. Over five decades that equates to an overspend of £12,500 – the price of a decent used premium car. Get ripped off by being daft enough to stump up £8 per gallon (176ppl) in today's money and you'll needlessly overspend £500 annually or, over the course of that half-century driving life, about £25k. This is equivalent to buying a brand new Renault 5 (officially crowned The New Car World Champ 24/25) while still leaving enough change for an exotic holiday for a week or two. Crazy but true! Yet such massive savings really are achievable for drivers who bother to do their homework and find the lowest prices – while giving those priced highest the swerve they deserve! Do you usually fill up with supermarket fuel? Let us know in the comments section below... Find a car with the experts 2026 Land Rover Defender updates look subtle, but they fix one huge annoyance for owners 2026 Land Rover Defender updates look subtle, but they fix one huge annoyance for owners Land Rover has introduced new, larger white-painted steel wheels for models with big brakes, fixing one massive irritation with the previous generatio… Electric car drivers won't ever go back to petrol or diesel Electric car drivers won't ever go back to petrol or diesel Editor Paul Barker thinks the EV transition is coming whether we like it or not The MG HS just got hot! New 221bhp Hybrid+ model joins line-up The MG HS just got hot! New 221bhp Hybrid+ model joins line-up The Hybrid+ gives the MG HS another tool to take on the Dacia Bigster
The Sun
19 hours ago
- General
- The Sun
From celeb mouthwash to classic salt toothpaste – my smile-saving heroes for National Smile Month
WHY do we have so many awareness days, weeks and months? Some of them seem utterly ridiculous. The health related ones, though, are a good idea. It is National Smile Month. One in three adults have tooth decay, so this campaign promotes eating less sugar and processed food, drinking more water and visiting the dentist. And I've put some products to the test to help you smile . . . MOUTHWASH 3 IF ever there was a man who says 'teeth' it is TV presenter Rylan Clark – his are gleaming! And he has teamed up with British oral care brand Waken. I am not always keen on products pushed by celebs, but Rylan believes in Waken and has invested in it. I like it too. I love their whitening toothpaste and the Waken Advanced Care Mouthwash. It is made with natural peppermint, strengthens enamel with fluoride, and comes in a recycled bottle. This is alcohol free and a 500ml bottle costs £5. The company has just started selling in major supermarkets. See CHEWING GUM I CHEW so much gum I could put a cow to shame – but not all gums are good for you thanks to the sweeteners, sugar and chemicals in them. But some do have health benefits. Peppersmith is one such example. It contains the plant-based sweetener xylitol and is approved by the Oral Health Foundation. Chewing sugar-free gum with xylitol after meals, is scientifically proven to reduce cavities, neutralise harmful acids, and keep breath fresh. Xylitol is a natural sugar alternative that bacteria cannot digest, meaning it actively fights tooth decay. Dentist explains risks of 'Turkey teeth' and other dentistry abroad It also helps to strengthen enamel – unlike sugary mints and gum that mask bad breath and contribute to cavities. The gum comes in mint, lemon and strawberry flavours. I wasn't keen on the fruity ones – but the mint is great and is £1.35 for 15g at Sainsbury's. See TOOTHPASTE SALT toothpaste made by Weleda has been around for more than 100 years, but has soared into the brand's list of bestsellers in the last two years. That's because it is a chemical-free, eco-friendly toothpaste popular with those looking to avoid additives – there are no detergents, bleaches, foam boosters or optical brighteners in the product. No fluoride either – some people are worried that too much can lead to dental fluorosis or skeletal fluorosis, which can damage bones and joints. While rare, fluorosis is a factor. This toothpaste uses sodium bicarbonate, which is a salt that breaks down to form sodium and bicarbonate in water. This helps to promote healing in the mouth, and to ease ulcers, cuts and sore patches. It is totally free from microplastics too. It tastes like bicarbonate of soda but my mouth felt really fresh after using. I liked it. It's priced at £5.95 for 75ml. See
ABC News
2 days ago
- Business
- ABC News
Calls for tobacco sales ban at supermarkets
The Lung Foundation of Australia wants to see an outright ban on the sale of cigarettes and tobacco products in major supermarkets, with some health experts saying it should also be extended to convenience stores.
The Sun
2 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
Sweet lovers go wild for NEW flavour of classic goodies on shelves at major supermarket
SWEET lovers have gone wild for the new flavour of a classic goodies which is now on shelves at a major supermarket. Snack maker Mars revealed the tantalising new flavour earlier this month and fans were delighted. 2 2 The new treat, called Skittles Citrus contains five new flavours: Orange, Lemon, Lime, Mandarin and Blood Orange. Mars said they are available at big supermarkets, grocery stores and corner shops across the country. And the sought-after treat was posted to the popular New F oods UK Facebook group when it was spotted in Asda. The post received likes and comments from sweet fans eager to get their hands on the new flavour. "Ooooh another one for the list," said one excited fan. Another asked a friend: "plz look out for these i need them." To which her friend replied: "Just got you a pkt, last on the shelf xx" While another confessed: "I've had these, they are tasty." ""I've wanted this my entire life," added a fifth sweet fan. This is the first Skittles flavour to launch since the brand released its Skittles Giants Gooey early last year. SWEET TOOTH 'A tangy twist', cry fans over 85p packs of Jaffa Cakes in a unique flavour Companies often try out new flavours to excite shoppers, and Skittles' senior brand manager Florence McGivern said flavour experts had been perfecting the new snack for "months". "We know our shoppers are always looking for new, bold flavours, and citrus is the perfect way to bring something fresh and exciting to our Skittles lineup," she said. The Sun recently chatted to insiders at Mars and Walkers about how they come up with new flavours - and why other products get discontinued. You can read more about that here. Meanwhile, Swizzels have revealed a new flavour of classic sweets hitting supermarkets in days and shoppers can't wait. Plus, shoppers are rushing to Lidl to grab the Finally, Haribo has recalled sweets found to contain cannabis as the police launched a probe into gummies that 'made a family fall ill'.
The Sun
2 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
People are only just realising why so many supermarkets have a clock tower and it's blowing their minds
SUPERMARKETS across England have one feature that is often overlooked by shoppers. Brits were floored to find out the reason why so many stores seem to have a clock tower. 4 4 Filmmaker Chris Spargo took to YouTube to explain the history. He also pointed out that many of the clocks don't actually show the correct time. The trend dates back to the 1970s, when an Essex council was given a very strict design guide. It wanted to put a supermarket next to the town square but the council was firmly told that the building had to have "specific Essex characteristics". The YouTuber explained: "So Asda came up with an idea. 15 miles away in a town called Coggeshall, there is a 14th century barn and a Victorian clock tower." From there, UK chains seemed to draw inspiration and replicas started popping up everywhere. It went on to be known as the "Essex barn style". In 1991, 23 of the 28 Tescos that were built had clocks. Way into the 1990s, Tesco, Sainsbury's and Morrisons all built stores in this way. However, new stores being built today are less likely to have the feature. One comment by a dumbfounded Brit read: "This is something I've simultaneously noticed everywhere and yet never noticed." Writing in a thesis on the history of supermarket designs, academic Audrey Kirby said: "Possibly the design provided the customers with a classless feeling of comfort, security, wholesomeness and prosperity." 4 4
