Forum member foo brought up an interesting discussion on the forums which I thought I would share here for more input.
What do you think of the new trend of store flyers advertising meat at a per pack price (as shown for the steaks & pork chops pictured above) rather than the usual measurements by weight (as shown with the tilapia above). The set price packs usually do have a weight on them in store, but when comparison shopping and making your list, you have no idea on an approximate weight for the items. They could be cut very thinly or thickly, the size of the packaging can differ by store (and even by week).
As I mentioned in the forum thread, I was part of a focus group where some people did actually recommend clearer pricing on meat. They would see a roast on sale for $3.99/lb but nothing showed that the cut was available in 5lb+ only so they would go to that store and end up not buying the item as it cost much more than they budgeted.
A simple solution to appease both groups would be to price it per package and include an approximate package weight. Similar to when you buy a 3lb bag of oranges and it could vary a little. Since grocery stores have chosen not to do this, do you think it is an attempt by them to stop customers from being able to fully compare pricing and price-matching (you can’t prove the weight so stores would not price match as they have no per lb/kg price to compare).
I am admittedly suspicious of the motivations behind per pack pricing, and personally find it incredibly annoying for the reasons mentioned above. Also, while it may seem like an everyday thing to some shoppers, some people may not be able to calculate the price per lb/kg for themselves (or even simply not have a smartphone or some other device with a calculator function with them in the store), putting them at a serious disadvantage. Surely if the stores were really aiming for clearer packaging they would be trying harder for a middle-of-the-road approach.
Personally I think it’s a way for stores to make more money by charging a higher price per pound. i.e. charging $5 for a 900g pack when $5/lb would have been the normal price.
It is visually appealing to see a flat price on your meat, but I’m very skeptical that it’s a good deal for the consumer. Most people, myself included only have a vague idea what is a good price for all cuts of meat. The only ones I know a good deal when I see it are chicken breast, prime rib roast and steak, t-bone and pork tenderloin. Every other cut of meat I couldn’t tell you.
I don’t even bother with “packaged” price. I recalculated it a few times for different cuts and fish, figured it’s always more expensive and less clear, so more chances to pay a higher price and now just skip them all together.
I compared by weight at the scale and you can pay almost double the price in Packaged Price. just wait for a sale by the pound and then you have lots more meat for your meals.
I find that per package are always more expensive, I only buy them when they are reduced 🙂 Like the other posters, I only know price per pound for the few cuts that I buy. I always look on the package to find the weight and then divide to find out if it is really a good deal.
There’s no excuse for avoiding transparent pricing. The first problem is that we need to finish our metric conversion. It’s much easier to compare when you’re using price per 100g or 1kg. The second problem is that if stores want to do a fixed price package then they should be advertising the minimum size/quantity per package.
I think the per package ones appeal to the average customer who doesn’t coupon. think about it…standing in the store at the meat aisle and the large stickers are the first things you notice from afar (I usually stand back to look a my meat options as I find the entirety of the aisle and different cuts of mean to be a little overwhelming)….so standing from a little distance, I can see all the products, I can see the big price stickers…and I can say to myself “am I willing to pay $5 for this package?”..and move in to pick the nicest looking one
I’d prefer price per pound adverts.
It’s because I have a price tolerance for all foods by their per-pound price. Seafood under $10/lb, steak under $8/lb, lamb and chicken under $4/lb, fruits and vegetables under $2/lb… To save time, I just buy whatever I want when it hits below my threshold. So price by weight works better for me.
Either way, what bothers me more is that stores are applying creative accounting rather than better products and services to attract customers.
Debbie, i completely agree with you.
This is totally shady marketing strategy. Most non-couponers, 20 somethings and men generally don’t price comparison shop at all let alone care/know how to figure out per weight price. My ex-boyfriend loves seeing those per pack price meats. In his head he just thinks ‘Yhea, $5 bucks for dinner sounds great!’ but he doesn’t actually think about how much (or how little) meat he’s actually getting.
BTW, i also imagine per pack pricing makes it more difficult for the meat packing people as each unit has to weigh exactly the same for it to equal $5 rather than having roughly similar portions but having the price reflect the actual weight.
I don’t know why they are doing it, but I don’t like it. In my local grocery stores, I find that the per pack price is often higher than the per pound price I would be willing to pay. And it is often hard to find the actual weight on those packs, so it is hard to find the per pound price. I like comparing apples to apples, and with these 2 different methods of pricing, it’s like comparing pineapples to bananas. It takes a lot of effort, and I would guess that most shoppers don’t have the time in the store to figure it out, so they don’t realize how much they are actually paying.
I also like to be able to choose the weight of the meat that I want, because it is easier for meal planning that way.
And not trying to be mean, but in one of the comments above you can see how the per pack price can lead many consumers to not understand the per weight price and the real price they are paying for their food. Debbie’s example of $5 for 900g being more than the regular $5 per pound if off. If the per pack price were $5 for 900g, that would be about $2.50/lb, making the pack the better deal.
I think she may have meant per kilo Julie, just to show how they are shrinking sizes with the same pricing
In Alberta, any time I buy a pkg of meat it always shows the price, and the price/kg. The problem is that specials are advertised at price/lb and pkgs are marked at price/kg…just means having to do some rough conversions in store. I find it easier with the price/kg on the pkg to compare cuts and club packs vs small packs to see what the better deal is.
i never buy per package price meat… always look at flyers for price per lb or kg to compare.
The good thing about numbers is that they are black and white and price per weight always yields the better deal (unless there is some super sale going on for the packaged version). If the supermarkets are trying to compensate for something like rising gasoline prices, there definitely should be a more honest way of doing so. This tiered pricing is another example of why we need to be vigilant with home economics!
Like I posted on the thread…. IMO the best deal for your health, pocket book, environment and local merchants is to buy you meat from a butcher. Best meat I have ever had, best prices I have ever paid (all priced per lbs/kg). Plus I know where the meat is coming from, what the animals were fed, and that they weren’t injected with GH, and other unnecessary antibiotics – something you can NEVER be sure of at the big grocery stores. Especially in the case of “value” packs and big sales.
Along the same lines, how about the packing stuffed under the product sold at same product price.
Have we not watched dispensing fresh sliced cold guts between layers and layers of plastic in some instances — what are we really paying for and they say they have to do it, store policy.
In my experience, mostly with Walmart, they do affix a sticker on each package which states the weight of the package so you know how much you’re getting at that price. ie $9.00 for a pack of chicken breasts. Packages can vary from 700g to just over a kilo in weight for the same number of breasts or chops. The savvy shoppers are the ones that are picking through all the packages to find the bigger ones with the higher weights to get more bang for their buck.
Overall, I’m not fond of this kind of pricing, but have gotten some good deals this way, especially on ribs. I definitely prefer to buy with the pricing per pound/kilo, makes it very fair as you are getting exactly what you paid for and much easier for comparison.
Per package pricing appeals to the lazy, who don’t take the time to figure out what price they are paying per pound. I have found that per package price is consistently higher than per pound price. Furthermore it is a way to conceal lesser quality cuts
When I asked my local supermarket why they did not have the price per lb or min package weight I was told it was CFIA or weights and measures that would not allow it.
Seems stupid to me.