Some cheapie shops - I don't think Poundland is one of them - make a lot of use of EU markets; eg you will find Turkish writing on your coke cans.
The 'phantom brand' idea is interesting; it is true that people probably prefer to see 'Fenback farm' on their tinned food than 'Poundland'.
Shopping channels can be very misleading with phantom brands. My husband once bought a well-reviewed watch, but when he got it, it was oddly cheap and tacky. When we meticulously followed up all the reviews, it turned out that the brand was specific to that shopping channel, and all the reviews were on sites that related in some way to that shopping channel.
My pet Poundland hate is plasters; I bought a big multi-pack of plasters, and when I opened it they were literally the size of postage stamps. If your cut can be covered by a plaster of that size, it clearly doesn't need a plaster at all. >:(
There are companies out there who supply food goods to pound land and they box them up in the sizes they require. for example pound land may only sell a multipack that has X items at a cheaper cost where a supermarket would only sell XX items is that pack.
Those companies have repacking contracts with the manufacturers.
1 mars bar...56p or 3@£1
4 packet of mars bars...£1
7 packet of mars bars...£2.69
I only buy multipack confectionery, fizzy drinks and crisps at the supermarkets in an online shop when they are on special offer.
4 pack mars bars and 3 loose mars bars for £1 are only on special offer at supermarket.
The real rip off is the 1 x 51grams mars bar and all other single chocolate bars at supermarkets, corner shops, WH Smiths, Boots, Superdrug etc all charging well above the RRP's.
I went in a pound shop the other day, actually, and I noticed some things were more expensive in there than in the supermarket, eg a 1kg bag of sugar for £1, with "WOW!!" stickers all around, but in Tesco and Aldi (both near me) a bag of sugar's around 85p. .
Poundland's sugar is in 1.2kg bags, tahts why it says wow,, and while sugar prices were higher a couple of years ago, supermarkets were charging £1.15 per kg, poundland were still charging £1.
Poundland don't have 3 cokes for a £1 anymore, Its now 2.
It's pepsi (not coca cola), fanta, irn bru and one or 2 others @ 330ml that are 3 for 1.
But let's not lose sight of the fact that these fizzy drinks are available as pick and mix. The single standard size chocolate bars are 3 for £1 pick and mix.
If you have never been in a Pound shop - because you have no need to - just have a quick look when you have five minutes because the OP is on to something here. Something is a bit odd.
I took my own advice a couple of weeks ago and had a quick look.
Large size Arm & Hammer Bicarb Toothpaste for.......you guessed it.
Four packs of Trebor Extra strong mints for..........
Etc
Nobody wants to waste money during their weekly supermarket shop do they? Even if you have a comfortable income. Do you?
Maybe it is short use by dates? I will try to pay more attention.......
Poundland's sugar is in 1.2kg bags, tahts why it says wow,, and while sugar prices were higher a couple of years ago, supermarkets were charging £1.15 per kg, poundland were still charging £1.
I didn't realise there were different weights! I thought they were 1kg or 2kg only (or that really tiny size, which I can't remember) so thank you for that. I must have another look and see what weight they are in this pound shop near me, because I'm pretty sure it isn't Poundland. Food for thought - thank you.
There are other examples that still do apply, but I totally take that point on board.
If you have never been in a Pound shop - because you have no need to - just have a quick look when you have five minutes because the OP is on to something here. Something is a bit odd.
I took my own advice a couple of weeks ago and had a quick look.
Large size Arm & Hammer Bicarb Toothpaste for.......you guessed it.
Four packs of Trebor Extra strong mints for..........
Etc
Nobody wants to waste money during their weekly supermarket shop do they? Even if you have a comfortable income. Do you?
Maybe it is short use by dates? I will try to pay more attention.......
I thought trebor mints were only a sell by date.
Confectionery, fizzy drinks, unopened pure orange juice in carton and biscuits are fine to have well after the sell by date.
The unopened Don Simon pure orange juice in carton with a sell by date of 2011 was still great a month ago.
Does anyone know why and where they get their stock?
For example in poundland you can buy 3 cans of coke for a pound yet the price in super markets etc is nearer £1 . The pound shops and home bargains must make a profit on what they buy.
Well yes, that's the general idea.
I watched a program about pound shops a while ago and they said they try to buy things for a unit price of 25p or less but obviously like all shops they have their loss leaders.
Home Bargains is more liquidated stock, sometimes short dated stuff.
Well yes, that's the general idea.
I watched a program about pound shops a while ago and they said they try to buy things for a unit price of 25p or less but obviously like all shops they have their loss leaders.
Home Bargains is more liquidated stock, sometimes short dated stuff.
On a pound shop programme - they were talking about the first online pound shop.
There's quite a few wholesalers who carry pound shop style lines. Many even have an online presence and are used by the local, small one man band pound shops as well as some Ebay sellers.
There are also wholesalers who deal in bankrupt stock, stock that major chains have over ordered and either returned or sold off etc.
But the huge chains, like Poundland and PoundWorld also order products direct, in bulk, from China which keeps costs low. With their buying power they can sometimes also order direct from the British or European manufacturer, including having the manufacturer produce smaller pack sizes specifically for sale through the pound shops.
You would be better buying the 9 twix fingers because there are virtually 4.5 twix twins.
I bought these recently, they were absolutely minute. I find Iceland's (yes I know) better value for multi packs of sweets and crisps .
I noticed in my 99p shop today that they were selling kellogs cornflakes in very small amounts, and 10 wheetabix for 99p. It's much cheaper to buy supermarket own brand cereals.
Personally I find myself buying less and less from pound shops . I can usually get better value at other shops - Iceland's, sainsburys and superdrug own brand toiletries are better than most of the stuff in my local 99p/pound shops.
Comments
Some cheapie shops - I don't think Poundland is one of them - make a lot of use of EU markets; eg you will find Turkish writing on your coke cans.
The 'phantom brand' idea is interesting; it is true that people probably prefer to see 'Fenback farm' on their tinned food than 'Poundland'.
Shopping channels can be very misleading with phantom brands. My husband once bought a well-reviewed watch, but when he got it, it was oddly cheap and tacky. When we meticulously followed up all the reviews, it turned out that the brand was specific to that shopping channel, and all the reviews were on sites that related in some way to that shopping channel.
My pet Poundland hate is plasters; I bought a big multi-pack of plasters, and when I opened it they were literally the size of postage stamps. If your cut can be covered by a plaster of that size, it clearly doesn't need a plaster at all. >:(
Those companies have repacking contracts with the manufacturers.
I only buy multipack confectionery, fizzy drinks and crisps at the supermarkets in an online shop when they are on special offer.
4 pack mars bars and 3 loose mars bars for £1 are only on special offer at supermarket.
The real rip off is the 1 x 51grams mars bar and all other single chocolate bars at supermarkets, corner shops, WH Smiths, Boots, Superdrug etc all charging well above the RRP's.
I actually remember going to the 50p shop as a child in the 80s, that became a pound shop so it's possible.
It's pepsi (not coca cola), fanta, irn bru and one or 2 others @ 330ml that are 3 for 1.
But let's not lose sight of the fact that these fizzy drinks are available as pick and mix. The single standard size chocolate bars are 3 for £1 pick and mix.
You can buy 5 cans of coca cola for £2.
I took my own advice a couple of weeks ago and had a quick look.
Large size Arm & Hammer Bicarb Toothpaste for.......you guessed it.
Four packs of Trebor Extra strong mints for..........
Etc
Nobody wants to waste money during their weekly supermarket shop do they? Even if you have a comfortable income. Do you?
Maybe it is short use by dates? I will try to pay more attention.......
Anyone remember them?
I used to use www.mxwholesale.co.uk for the boot sales, that's a place that supplies £1-shop lines.
They're probably paying on average between 55p-75p for items being sold for £1. They don't make much profit per item so they rely on the sheer volume.
I didn't realise there were different weights! I thought they were 1kg or 2kg only (or that really tiny size, which I can't remember) so thank you for that. I must have another look and see what weight they are in this pound shop near me, because I'm pretty sure it isn't Poundland. Food for thought - thank you.
There are other examples that still do apply, but I totally take that point on board.
I thought trebor mints were only a sell by date.
Confectionery, fizzy drinks, unopened pure orange juice in carton and biscuits are fine to have well after the sell by date.
The unopened Don Simon pure orange juice in carton with a sell by date of 2011 was still great a month ago.
Well yes, that's the general idea.
I watched a program about pound shops a while ago and they said they try to buy things for a unit price of 25p or less but obviously like all shops they have their loss leaders.
Home Bargains is more liquidated stock, sometimes short dated stuff.
On a pound shop programme - they were talking about the first online pound shop.
Which would be something to look forward to.
It wasn't the pound shop program that's been on recently by the way.
There are several online pound shops now, as far as I'm aware.
Ok - thanks for clarifying -pound shops seem an interesting subject.
Love going to them myself - I'm sad like that and do love a bargain.
9 Twix fingers @ 23 grams = £1.00
4 Twix twins @ 50 grams (25 grams per finger) = £1.00.
You would be better buying the 9 twix fingers because there are virtually 4.5 twix twins.
There are also wholesalers who deal in bankrupt stock, stock that major chains have over ordered and either returned or sold off etc.
But the huge chains, like Poundland and PoundWorld also order products direct, in bulk, from China which keeps costs low. With their buying power they can sometimes also order direct from the British or European manufacturer, including having the manufacturer produce smaller pack sizes specifically for sale through the pound shops.
Thanks for the link, Interesting read.
^this
People are snobs, they will happily buy a coat with a desirable label for £350, when it probably didn't cost more than £25 to make.
err... three cans for a pound is cheaper than 45p each.
Poundland is currently three cans for a pound, or was last week when I was last in there.
I bought these recently, they were absolutely minute. I find Iceland's (yes I know) better value for multi packs of sweets and crisps .
I noticed in my 99p shop today that they were selling kellogs cornflakes in very small amounts, and 10 wheetabix for 99p. It's much cheaper to buy supermarket own brand cereals.
Personally I find myself buying less and less from pound shops . I can usually get better value at other shops - Iceland's, sainsburys and superdrug own brand toiletries are better than most of the stuff in my local 99p/pound shops.