0:00:02 > 0:00:04There's a lot we don't know about the food on our plates,
0:00:04 > 0:00:08and the shops and the labels don't always tell you the whole story.
0:00:08 > 0:00:11Sometimes, when you have these offers on in the supermarket,
0:00:11 > 0:00:13you think you're getting a good deal,
0:00:13 > 0:00:16but if you're actually throwing it away, it's not a good deal.
0:00:16 > 0:00:19Whether you're staying in or going out,
0:00:19 > 0:00:22you've told us that you can feel ripped off by the promises made
0:00:22 > 0:00:25from what you eat and indeed what you pay for it.
0:00:25 > 0:00:26What really winds me up, I suppose,
0:00:26 > 0:00:28is the price of so-called healthy food
0:00:28 > 0:00:30compared with the unhealthy stuff.
0:00:30 > 0:00:33The unhealthy stuff seems to be so much cheaper.
0:00:33 > 0:00:37From claims that don't stack up, to the secrets behind the packaging,
0:00:37 > 0:00:40we'll uncover the truth about Britain's food
0:00:40 > 0:00:44so you can be sure you're getting what you expect at the right price.
0:00:45 > 0:00:49Your food, your money - this is Rip-Off Britain.
0:00:53 > 0:00:54Hello and welcome to Rip-Off Britain,
0:00:54 > 0:00:57where today we're going to be ripping open the packets
0:00:57 > 0:01:01and peeling back the labels on some of our most popular foods,
0:01:01 > 0:01:03just to see if what it says on the tin is actually what
0:01:03 > 0:01:06you're getting, and of course what you're paying for,
0:01:06 > 0:01:08because, I have to say, in some cases,
0:01:08 > 0:01:09it may not be the full story.
0:01:09 > 0:01:11And how true is that?
0:01:11 > 0:01:13Because how products are labelled and described can make
0:01:13 > 0:01:16all the difference as to whether you want to buy them in the first place.
0:01:16 > 0:01:21So if you've ever wondered if buying that bigger size really is worth it,
0:01:21 > 0:01:23or you're completely frustrated when you discover that
0:01:23 > 0:01:28a bumper packet of crisps seems to be more air and less potato -
0:01:28 > 0:01:30as I think I have -
0:01:30 > 0:01:33stand by for some tips to make sure that, next time you go shopping,
0:01:33 > 0:01:35you're getting proper value for money.
0:01:37 > 0:01:39Coming up, why buying a multipack
0:01:39 > 0:01:41doesn't always end up saving you money.
0:01:41 > 0:01:44That makes the twin pack 30% more expensive.
0:01:44 > 0:01:48- That is outrageous! - It's cheeky.- It is cheeky.
0:01:48 > 0:01:50And would you know how many of these foods
0:01:50 > 0:01:52are fit for vegetarians to eat?
0:01:52 > 0:01:55There's quite a lot here you'd give them, then?
0:01:55 > 0:01:57- Most of it, I think.- Yeah. Would you?- Yes, I think so. Yeah.
0:01:57 > 0:01:59- I'm wrong, aren't I?- Yeah.
0:02:02 > 0:02:05Next, something that's a real bugbear for a lot of you.
0:02:05 > 0:02:08Now, we know from all the e-mails and letters we get about this
0:02:08 > 0:02:10just how fed up some of you are
0:02:10 > 0:02:13with the way that food packaging sometimes disguises
0:02:13 > 0:02:16how little of the actual product might be tucked away inside.
0:02:19 > 0:02:21Some of the cereals you buy are three-quarters-full.
0:02:21 > 0:02:26Crisp bags, they're half-full, sweet packets are half-full.
0:02:26 > 0:02:27I've had it with, like, cakes.
0:02:27 > 0:02:30You know, they're in a massive box and there's polystyrene in it,
0:02:30 > 0:02:33and then when you get to the cakes, there's hardly anything there.
0:02:33 > 0:02:38Normally, when you buy a large bag of potato chips,
0:02:38 > 0:02:41you will find that by the time you've opened them up and the air
0:02:41 > 0:02:46has come out, the bag is that full, not that full.
0:02:47 > 0:02:50Well, a number of you have written to us about exactly this subject
0:02:50 > 0:02:52after being disappointed by the contents of
0:02:52 > 0:02:54the packaging you've bought.
0:02:54 > 0:02:56Wendy Rowland from Carmarthenshire for one.
0:02:56 > 0:02:58She has coeliac disease -
0:02:58 > 0:03:02an autoimmune disease affecting the digestive system.
0:03:02 > 0:03:05There's not a lot of choice when it comes to coeliacs,
0:03:05 > 0:03:08for breakfast cereals. It's mainly cornflakes.
0:03:08 > 0:03:11When I saw the box of Tesco Special Flakes,
0:03:11 > 0:03:15I thought, "Hmm, not a bad price. I'll give them a go."
0:03:15 > 0:03:18I opened the box and I thought, "Oh, where's the inner bag?"
0:03:18 > 0:03:21And I peered in and I thought, "Oh, that's a bit low."
0:03:21 > 0:03:25So I pulled it out and I put it alongside like that
0:03:25 > 0:03:28and I thought, "Well, surely they could have filled the box up
0:03:28 > 0:03:31with more cereal, because I thought I'd got a box full of cereal."
0:03:31 > 0:03:35Now, of course, manufacturers are not breaking any rules by selling
0:03:35 > 0:03:37their products in oversized packaging
0:03:37 > 0:03:40and Wendy's cornflakes are by no means the only -
0:03:40 > 0:03:43or indeed the worst - offender.
0:03:43 > 0:03:45'So, I met up with author and shopping psychologist
0:03:45 > 0:03:47'Phillip Adcock
0:03:47 > 0:03:50'to get his take on a few other products that contain a little less
0:03:50 > 0:03:51'than meets the eye.'
0:03:51 > 0:03:53When I look at something like this,
0:03:53 > 0:03:56I think to myself... I mean, look at that.
0:03:56 > 0:03:58It's just about a third full.
0:03:58 > 0:04:01It's ridiculous. Why would people pick up a bag of that?
0:04:01 > 0:04:04Psychologically, we'll always go for the bigger packet.
0:04:04 > 0:04:07And, dare I say, children definitely like the bigger packet
0:04:07 > 0:04:08cos they think there's more in it.
0:04:08 > 0:04:10I'm going to let you open the packet
0:04:10 > 0:04:12cos, as I get older, I can't open any packet at all.
0:04:12 > 0:04:15So, we're going to see how many more, in fact, we could get in.
0:04:15 > 0:04:17Yeah, so that holds five to start with.
0:04:17 > 0:04:19- Five? Only five? - There's five in there now.
0:04:19 > 0:04:21- Gosh, shall I count them in?- Yeah.
0:04:21 > 0:04:27Six, seven, eight, nine, ten,
0:04:27 > 0:04:3011, 12...
0:04:30 > 0:04:3213... I'm not going to put it up too high.
0:04:32 > 0:04:34- 14. I think it would take 15. - That's probably...
0:04:34 > 0:04:3615 would be about the maximum.
0:04:36 > 0:04:40- 15.- And that will still stack on the shelf in the supermarket.- That...
0:04:40 > 0:04:43That is terrible, isn't it?
0:04:43 > 0:04:46'So, you could quite easily fit in three times as many Mini Moons
0:04:46 > 0:04:49'in this packet as Tesco currently puts in.'
0:04:49 > 0:04:52I would feel hoodwinked about this packaging.
0:04:52 > 0:04:55So what is the answer to that, in terms of the manufacturer?
0:04:55 > 0:04:56It's who can be good and shrink their pack,
0:04:56 > 0:04:58cos as soon as one shrinks the pack,
0:04:58 > 0:05:00- theirs is smaller than everybody else's.- Mmm.
0:05:00 > 0:05:03And so, suddenly, it doesn't look as good value.
0:05:03 > 0:05:05'Let's try another. And this one, I must say,
0:05:05 > 0:05:07'I do find extraordinary.'
0:05:07 > 0:05:10So it says here "five lunchtime loaves".
0:05:10 > 0:05:13I would expect that it would be right up to the top.
0:05:13 > 0:05:17'Instead, it looked like they'd missed one out.'
0:05:17 > 0:05:18So, generally speaking,
0:05:18 > 0:05:21is the product inside the bag getting smaller?
0:05:21 > 0:05:24Over the years, the supermarkets have negotiated harder and harder
0:05:24 > 0:05:27to get us better prices. That's actually a good thing.
0:05:27 > 0:05:30It gets to the stage where the brands that supply them
0:05:30 > 0:05:31can't make it for the money,
0:05:31 > 0:05:34so they have to what they call "value-engineer" the products -
0:05:34 > 0:05:36basically give less in the pack.
0:05:36 > 0:05:38'And here's another product.
0:05:38 > 0:05:41'It's a favourite of my grandchildren, for sure - popcorn.'
0:05:41 > 0:05:43So, not quite half.
0:05:43 > 0:05:45That's less than half-full.
0:05:45 > 0:05:48See, if I opened that and I'd go to stick my hand in it, which I would,
0:05:48 > 0:05:51I'd sort of think, "Oh, who's been eating the remainder?"
0:05:51 > 0:05:54You know, it looks like somebody's had half the bag, doesn't it?
0:05:54 > 0:05:58Back in Wales, Wendy is keen to gauge public opinion on the matter.
0:05:58 > 0:06:01Now, she has taken her half-empty cereal packet to Carmarthen
0:06:01 > 0:06:03to ask shoppers if they feel
0:06:03 > 0:06:06short-changed by the oversized packaging.
0:06:06 > 0:06:08If you were buying this packet of cereal,
0:06:08 > 0:06:10where would you expect the contents to come up to?
0:06:10 > 0:06:12I think a bit higher?
0:06:12 > 0:06:15Yeah, I'd say probably about... at least up to there.
0:06:15 > 0:06:17If I show you that that's actually where it comes up to,
0:06:17 > 0:06:19what would you say, I wonder?
0:06:19 > 0:06:22Not good. It is misleading.
0:06:22 > 0:06:23Oh, my gosh!
0:06:23 > 0:06:26That is, well... That is low, isn't it?
0:06:26 > 0:06:27Mmm-hmm.
0:06:27 > 0:06:32I think that's a little bit unfair to present something in the box that
0:06:32 > 0:06:33is so much too big for it.
0:06:33 > 0:06:35Well, it's a rip-off, isn't it?
0:06:35 > 0:06:37Because it's more or less half the size.
0:06:39 > 0:06:42Well, Wendy didn't meet many people who disagreed with her,
0:06:42 > 0:06:46but when we asked Tesco about its packaging of this product,
0:06:46 > 0:06:48and indeed about those Mini Moon cheeses I saw earlier,
0:06:48 > 0:06:51the company didn't want to comment.
0:06:51 > 0:06:55We also contacted Soreen, the maker of those lunchbox loaves,
0:06:55 > 0:06:57who told us that after it had
0:06:57 > 0:06:59received similar feedback from its own customers,
0:06:59 > 0:07:04it has now introduced a new pack, reducing the packaging by 30%.
0:07:04 > 0:07:07And Asda, which sells the popcorn,
0:07:07 > 0:07:10explained that corn can expand to different sizes
0:07:10 > 0:07:13and air is required to protect the popped corn.
0:07:13 > 0:07:15But a production line will detect and discard...
0:07:18 > 0:07:20But as we dash around the supermarkets,
0:07:20 > 0:07:23falling foul of oversized packaging,
0:07:23 > 0:07:26Phillip suggests we start thinking differently about the things
0:07:26 > 0:07:28we choose to buy.
0:07:28 > 0:07:31First thing I would do is I would start to try and ignore -
0:07:31 > 0:07:33this is going to sound strange - the price.
0:07:33 > 0:07:36Pay attention to the little number in the corner
0:07:36 > 0:07:38which is the pence per gram, pence per litre.
0:07:38 > 0:07:40Compare those. And that's the second point.
0:07:40 > 0:07:43Don't just say, "A pound or a kilo, that's about right,"
0:07:43 > 0:07:45look to either side.
0:07:45 > 0:07:47Compare. Thirdly, take your glasses.
0:07:47 > 0:07:50Yes, remember the glasses - I agree with that.
0:07:55 > 0:07:58Here in the UK, it's estimated that more than a million people are
0:07:58 > 0:08:03vegetarian, all of them taking great care about the food that they eat,
0:08:03 > 0:08:07but it remains the case that several everyday foods that you might assume
0:08:07 > 0:08:10are suitable for vegetarians are in fact no such thing.
0:08:10 > 0:08:14And even if you do know which ones to watch out for when
0:08:14 > 0:08:17you're shopping, you obviously won't have the same control about
0:08:17 > 0:08:20what's being put in your food if you're eating out.
0:08:23 > 0:08:25Now, you might think that being a vegetarian was relatively
0:08:25 > 0:08:29straightforward, provided you follow the one simple rule -
0:08:29 > 0:08:30don't eat meat.
0:08:30 > 0:08:34But, whilst avoiding a steak or a spag bol should be easy enough,
0:08:34 > 0:08:38there are plenty of other foods that throw up more of a problem
0:08:38 > 0:08:41because, while you'd probably have never guessed it,
0:08:41 > 0:08:44there might be some sort of animal product inside.
0:08:45 > 0:08:50Are there foods in which there are animal derivatives that we're not so
0:08:50 > 0:08:53clear about? So, let's find out.
0:08:53 > 0:08:57How many of these foods really would be safe for a vegetarian to eat?
0:08:57 > 0:09:01'We're asking the shoppers at Spitalfields Market in London
0:09:01 > 0:09:02'just that question.
0:09:02 > 0:09:05'Let's see if they can guess which of these everyday foods
0:09:05 > 0:09:09'contains any veggie-unfriendly ingredients.'
0:09:09 > 0:09:14What on at this table do you think a vegetarian would be able to eat?
0:09:14 > 0:09:17- That.- Marshmallows? OK.
0:09:17 > 0:09:19Worcester sauce.
0:09:19 > 0:09:20Worcester sauce, righto.
0:09:20 > 0:09:23- Caesar salad.- Salad.
0:09:23 > 0:09:24- Strawberry yoghurt.- Yeah.
0:09:24 > 0:09:28- Grapefruit yoghurt. - Beer, I think you'd be OK with.
0:09:28 > 0:09:30Oh, there's quite a lot you'd give them, then?
0:09:30 > 0:09:31Well, most of it, I think.
0:09:31 > 0:09:33- Would you?- Yeah, I think so, yeah. I'm wrong, aren't I?
0:09:33 > 0:09:36'I'm afraid he is, and he wasn't alone.'
0:09:36 > 0:09:39Marshmallows, no, they definitely can't have the marshmallows.
0:09:39 > 0:09:41- It's got beef gelatine in it. - Right, OK.
0:09:41 > 0:09:45Caesar salad has got anchovies in it - can't have that.
0:09:45 > 0:09:48Parmesan has got calf's rennet in it.
0:09:48 > 0:09:49- Right, OK.- Right.
0:09:49 > 0:09:53The strawberry yoghurt and the pink yoghurt - that's got gelatine in it.
0:09:53 > 0:09:56- Oh, so I...- And that, actually, the pink one contains cochineal,
0:09:56 > 0:09:58which is also from animals.
0:09:58 > 0:10:00- OK.- And beer...
0:10:00 > 0:10:03- Yeah?- ..has got isinglass, which comes from fish.
0:10:03 > 0:10:04Ugh.
0:10:04 > 0:10:07'Uh-oh, not a great start,
0:10:07 > 0:10:10'but surely Spitalfields' veggies will do a bit better.'
0:10:10 > 0:10:12- Are you a vegetarian?- Yes.
0:10:12 > 0:10:16Would you have a look at the foods on this table and tell me which of
0:10:16 > 0:10:20these foods you think you could safely eat as a vegetarian?
0:10:20 > 0:10:22- Pesto.- Right.
0:10:22 > 0:10:26Well, the pesto, authentic pesto contains calf's rennet
0:10:26 > 0:10:28- and some of them have anchovy paste in them.- Ugh.
0:10:28 > 0:10:31- Really? - Yeah, so that's off the menu.
0:10:31 > 0:10:34- Yeah.- Oh!- Thanks(!)
0:10:34 > 0:10:39Which of these foods do you think you would be able to eat?
0:10:39 > 0:10:41- Just beer.- A beer?- Yeah.
0:10:41 > 0:10:46Well, beer has actually got some isinglass in it, which is from fish.
0:10:46 > 0:10:50- No.- So, you can't eat that.- No!
0:10:50 > 0:10:53Parmesan, I could eat that all day.
0:10:53 > 0:10:55I've got a shock for you, vegetarian.
0:10:55 > 0:10:56All right. Right, OK.
0:10:56 > 0:11:01- It's got calf's rennet in it, proper Parmesan.- Nice. Lovely.- All right?
0:11:01 > 0:11:04In fact, none of the products on our table
0:11:04 > 0:11:06were suitable for non-meat-eaters.
0:11:06 > 0:11:10Worcester sauce, for example, contains anchovies,
0:11:10 > 0:11:12and many cheeses, - not just Parmesan -
0:11:12 > 0:11:14use calf rennet - an enzyme
0:11:14 > 0:11:16extracted from their stomachs.
0:11:16 > 0:11:19Similarly, the gelatine found in marshmallows -
0:11:19 > 0:11:22a substance derived from the skin and bones of animals -
0:11:22 > 0:11:24is also found in many ice creams,
0:11:24 > 0:11:27dips and yoghurts.
0:11:27 > 0:11:30And the beer? Whilst the one we used in this demonstration
0:11:30 > 0:11:32wasn't suitable for veggies,
0:11:32 > 0:11:35there are plenty of varieties out there that are.
0:11:36 > 0:11:39But someone who thinks he would have passed our little test with
0:11:39 > 0:11:42flying colours is Rob Colville from Stockport.
0:11:42 > 0:11:44He's been meat-free for over 30 years,
0:11:44 > 0:11:47and while he's confident that he knows his onions about what's in
0:11:47 > 0:11:49the food that he cooks,
0:11:49 > 0:11:53the same can't always be said when he goes out for a meal.
0:11:53 > 0:11:55I really enjoy eating out at restaurants,
0:11:55 > 0:11:57but one of my biggest concerns and frustrations
0:11:57 > 0:12:00is the misunderstanding around what is and is not vegetarian,
0:12:00 > 0:12:04Parmesan cheese finding its way into a lot of vegetarian-labelled dishes
0:12:04 > 0:12:05and it's not vegetarian.
0:12:05 > 0:12:07Fish-based products finding itself into a lot of dishes.
0:12:07 > 0:12:10A lot of the time, the chefs don't understand what is and is not
0:12:10 > 0:12:12vegetarian when it comes to their ingredients,
0:12:12 > 0:12:14so these are the people that are cooking the food -
0:12:14 > 0:12:15if they don't understand it,
0:12:15 > 0:12:18how can vegetarians ever have confidence in eating out?
0:12:19 > 0:12:21To try and tackle some of his concerns, today,
0:12:21 > 0:12:24Rob is visiting the Vegetarian Society in Cheshire...
0:12:24 > 0:12:27- Hello, Lynne.- Hi, Rob. - How are you doing?- I'm...
0:12:27 > 0:12:28..to meet boss Lynne Elliott.
0:12:28 > 0:12:31- Welcome, and come in. - Hello. Thank you.
0:12:31 > 0:12:33One of the things that concerns me quite a lot is that,
0:12:33 > 0:12:37on vegetarian-labelled meals, you're finding things like Parmesan.
0:12:37 > 0:12:40- Yeah.- I mean, is this something you're getting complaints about?
0:12:40 > 0:12:43More than half the complaints we get from people about eating out
0:12:43 > 0:12:46are exactly about Parmesan, so it's a big problem.
0:12:46 > 0:12:49I think that chefs perhaps don't always understand
0:12:49 > 0:12:51what is and is not vegetarian.
0:12:51 > 0:12:53How can we make that understanding better communicated
0:12:53 > 0:12:55through to the restaurant industry?
0:12:55 > 0:12:57Yeah, I think you've identified a really big problem,
0:12:57 > 0:12:59because it isn't just the chefs - it's the managers,
0:12:59 > 0:13:01it's the waiting staff, it's the whole...
0:13:01 > 0:13:04You know, everybody who's involved in food outlets and restaurants.
0:13:04 > 0:13:07But there's also an education process, really,
0:13:07 > 0:13:08about cross-contamination,
0:13:08 > 0:13:11because it isn't just the ingredients that are in the food
0:13:11 > 0:13:12that you're eating -
0:13:12 > 0:13:14it's how it's been handled, how it's been stored,
0:13:14 > 0:13:17how it's been prepared and how it's been cooked.
0:13:17 > 0:13:20So it just needs to go into the pot of boiling water...
0:13:20 > 0:13:22To help all of that,
0:13:22 > 0:13:25the Vegetarian Society's principal tutor, Alex Connell,
0:13:25 > 0:13:28has been training chefs for over five years.
0:13:28 > 0:13:30If you're doing a Thai dish,
0:13:30 > 0:13:33watch out for the paste if you use a Thai cookery sauce,
0:13:33 > 0:13:36because they sometimes have fish in there.
0:13:36 > 0:13:37Alcohol, as well.
0:13:37 > 0:13:38Some wine isn't vegetarian,
0:13:38 > 0:13:41so you're going to go to the trouble of making some beautiful vegetarian
0:13:41 > 0:13:43dishes and then spoiling it at the last bit
0:13:43 > 0:13:47by putting a bit of white wine in there that is non-vegetarian.
0:13:48 > 0:13:50Today, Alex is meeting Rob...
0:13:50 > 0:13:52- Hello.- Hi, Rob, nice to meet you.
0:13:52 > 0:13:54..who wants to grill him about something that he's found
0:13:54 > 0:13:58can be one of the most problematic dishes for veggies.
0:13:58 > 0:14:00I absolutely love pesto,
0:14:00 > 0:14:03but one of the things that really frustrates me sometimes
0:14:03 > 0:14:04is that an awful lot of pesto contains
0:14:04 > 0:14:07non-vegetarian cheeses, particularly Parmesan.
0:14:07 > 0:14:11Parmesan cheese, yeah, and vegetarians don't eat Parmesan, OK?
0:14:11 > 0:14:14Now, the reason that it's not vegetarian is that it's got
0:14:14 > 0:14:15an enzyme from a calf's stomach
0:14:15 > 0:14:18and, unfortunately, the calf has to be killed to get the enzyme,
0:14:18 > 0:14:22and that's why Parmesan cheese is not vegetarian.
0:14:22 > 0:14:25But, in fact, restaurants could easily make a tasty pesto
0:14:25 > 0:14:27that doesn't have that problem.
0:14:27 > 0:14:29So, what we're going to do today is we're going to make some
0:14:29 > 0:14:31beautiful home-made pesto, which is so easy
0:14:31 > 0:14:35and, of course, you know that it's not got the Parmesan in it.
0:14:35 > 0:14:38So, the ingredients are some pine nuts, plenty of basil,
0:14:38 > 0:14:41garlic, olive oil,
0:14:41 > 0:14:43salt and pepper and, if you want to put that...
0:14:43 > 0:14:44If you want that cheese flavour,
0:14:44 > 0:14:47then you can get an Italian-style hard cheese.
0:14:47 > 0:14:49- Put the garlic in there... - With all of those ingredients
0:14:49 > 0:14:52put into a food processor...
0:14:52 > 0:14:54So all we need to do is to pop the lid on,
0:14:54 > 0:14:56switch it on...
0:14:56 > 0:14:58MIXER BUZZES
0:14:58 > 0:15:00Hey presto, pesto!
0:15:01 > 0:15:03How easy is that?
0:15:03 > 0:15:05It's actually really quite straightforward.
0:15:05 > 0:15:06Anybody could do it, really.
0:15:06 > 0:15:07Yeah, couldn't be easier.
0:15:07 > 0:15:10So, if you've got a menu item at a restaurant,
0:15:10 > 0:15:13- and you see that there is pesto in that dish...- Right, yeah.
0:15:13 > 0:15:15- ..what would you advise? - Ask. That's the way to...
0:15:15 > 0:15:19And if you're not sure, if you think you're getting fudged,
0:15:19 > 0:15:20get the manager.
0:15:20 > 0:15:23But the thing to look out for, if it's got a "V",
0:15:23 > 0:15:25that's great, but the Vegetarian Society does its own
0:15:25 > 0:15:27independent checking, so if you see
0:15:27 > 0:15:28the Vegetarian Society symbol,
0:15:28 > 0:15:29you know that someone's
0:15:29 > 0:15:32checked it independently.
0:15:32 > 0:15:34And we're done. We just need to serve that.
0:15:34 > 0:15:38But it's not just the perils of eating out that can get vegetarians
0:15:38 > 0:15:39hot under the collar.
0:15:39 > 0:15:42Buying the right foods at the supermarket isn't always
0:15:42 > 0:15:44as easy as you might expect.
0:15:45 > 0:15:48So, one of the issues we hear a lot about from consumers is,
0:15:48 > 0:15:50when they're buying food products, the labelling -
0:15:50 > 0:15:52it can be very, very confusing.
0:15:52 > 0:15:53There's a lot of names of things
0:15:53 > 0:15:55that people have never heard of before.
0:15:55 > 0:15:58So there's a lack of consistency and clarity, really.
0:15:58 > 0:16:02We have a "Vegetarian Society approved" trademark
0:16:02 > 0:16:04and that's an attempt to combat some of that,
0:16:04 > 0:16:08so that appears on over 15,000 products now.
0:16:08 > 0:16:10But, despite all of these checks,
0:16:10 > 0:16:13some products do slip through the net
0:16:13 > 0:16:17and have to either be recalled or relabelled.
0:16:17 > 0:16:19In February, the National Trust had to pull all of its
0:16:19 > 0:16:23mulled wine & whisky truffles after it found that,
0:16:23 > 0:16:26despite being labelled as suitable for vegetarians,
0:16:26 > 0:16:31they contained carmine, a food colorant derived from animals.
0:16:31 > 0:16:32And in November last year,
0:16:32 > 0:16:36Lidl withdrew its deluxe olive pesto from sale
0:16:36 > 0:16:40after it, too, was wrongly labelled as suitable for vegetarians,
0:16:40 > 0:16:43despite it containing anchovy paste.
0:16:43 > 0:16:47If you find a product that is labelled suitable for vegetarians
0:16:47 > 0:16:49and then you discover that it isn't,
0:16:49 > 0:16:52then you can let the Vegetarian Society know,
0:16:52 > 0:16:54and also let the manufacturer know, as well,
0:16:54 > 0:16:56because the chances are that they will want to rectify
0:16:56 > 0:17:01the situation and change the labels as soon as possible.
0:17:01 > 0:17:05Meanwhile, Rob is happy that so many of his concerns are being tackled,
0:17:05 > 0:17:08so that what is and isn't genuinely vegetarian
0:17:08 > 0:17:12is much clearer to veggies and meat-eaters alike.
0:17:12 > 0:17:14Today has been a really good day.
0:17:14 > 0:17:17I've learnt a lot more about what is and is not vegetarian
0:17:17 > 0:17:20and also how to tackle the issues when you're not quite sure -
0:17:20 > 0:17:22understanding what questions to ask and who to ask them.
0:17:29 > 0:17:32Now, if, like me, you fancy yourself as a bit of a savvy shopper,
0:17:32 > 0:17:35then you'll always be looking to get the best value for money
0:17:35 > 0:17:36when you go to the supermarket,
0:17:36 > 0:17:39and you probably assume that a terrific way of making
0:17:39 > 0:17:42some tidy savings is to take advantage of multipack offers
0:17:42 > 0:17:44on your favourite foods.
0:17:44 > 0:17:47After all, buying in bulk has traditionally meant that
0:17:47 > 0:17:49you'll be able to get cheaper prices.
0:17:49 > 0:17:52But now it seems that may not always be the case.
0:17:52 > 0:17:55We've been contacted by a number of viewers who aren't sure whether
0:17:55 > 0:17:59the multipacks they regularly buy are the best value for money,
0:17:59 > 0:18:02so we've done some investigating to see if multipacks really do
0:18:02 > 0:18:04save you a packet.
0:18:06 > 0:18:10Whether it's an eight-pack of crisps, six bars of chocolate,
0:18:10 > 0:18:12or four tins of sweetcorn,
0:18:12 > 0:18:15multipacks seem to offer big savings and a cost-effective way of
0:18:15 > 0:18:18stocking up on foods that you regularly eat,
0:18:18 > 0:18:21and that can prove a life-saver if you've got a hectic household that
0:18:21 > 0:18:23needs a lot of planning,
0:18:23 > 0:18:27as is the case for Claire Cremin from Urmston in Manchester.
0:18:27 > 0:18:29As a busy mum, and with five children
0:18:29 > 0:18:31and running my business from home,
0:18:31 > 0:18:34everything throughout my day has to be very finely planned
0:18:34 > 0:18:38on a daily planning board, and every minute counts.
0:18:38 > 0:18:39I have to be very quick,
0:18:39 > 0:18:42fulfilling all the tasks that I've got in the day.
0:18:42 > 0:18:44The normal things that you would find easy -
0:18:44 > 0:18:47getting up, brushing your teeth, making the breakfast -
0:18:47 > 0:18:49can be quite challenging.
0:18:49 > 0:18:54So, five plates, five lots of food all out at the same time.
0:18:54 > 0:18:57A lot of the time, it's very much just a rush, so it's like,
0:18:57 > 0:18:59"Let's see how quickly we can get everything out
0:18:59 > 0:19:00"and get everybody eating,
0:19:00 > 0:19:02"everybody dressed and then out the door for school."
0:19:02 > 0:19:04BABY GIGGLES
0:19:04 > 0:19:06With quite a schedule to juggle,
0:19:06 > 0:19:09Claire usually heads straight for the multipacks when she does
0:19:09 > 0:19:12her shopping, hoping that they'll save her time and money.
0:19:12 > 0:19:14I've got to go into the supermarket,
0:19:14 > 0:19:16get in and get out with minimal fuss.
0:19:16 > 0:19:19And even at the other end, when I'm unpacking it,
0:19:19 > 0:19:21I can put one big pack of them away,
0:19:21 > 0:19:23as opposed to lots of individual items.
0:19:23 > 0:19:25Even storage in the cupboards -
0:19:25 > 0:19:30if I can store a multipack easier in the cupboards,
0:19:30 > 0:19:31than actual individual items.
0:19:31 > 0:19:33With little space,
0:19:33 > 0:19:36and lacking in space with seven of us in a small three-bedroom,
0:19:36 > 0:19:38we have to think of space-saving, as well.
0:19:38 > 0:19:40CHILDREN LAUGH
0:19:40 > 0:19:43Claire finds multipacks ideal for quickly putting together
0:19:43 > 0:19:45packed lunches for the children, as well...
0:19:45 > 0:19:48I've got five packed lunches to make, so the waters,
0:19:48 > 0:19:51the crisps and the treats - the chocolate treats -
0:19:51 > 0:19:55I would definitely always buy those in a multipack, never individually.
0:19:58 > 0:20:01..but Claire has never stopped to work out whether those multipacks
0:20:01 > 0:20:05genuinely are saving her cash.
0:20:05 > 0:20:07So, I would assume that, if I bought a multipack,
0:20:07 > 0:20:09I would be saving money.
0:20:09 > 0:20:11I've never checked. Again, if I'm rushing in and out,
0:20:11 > 0:20:14I'm not going to spend any time looking at the cost of it
0:20:14 > 0:20:15or calculating it,
0:20:15 > 0:20:18but I would wholeheartedly assume that I'm saving money when
0:20:18 > 0:20:21I buy in bulk, in multipacks.
0:20:21 > 0:20:23DOG BARKS
0:20:23 > 0:20:26So, to help Claire find out if she's getting the bargains she thinks
0:20:26 > 0:20:29she is, we went along with her on a midweek shopping trip
0:20:29 > 0:20:31and we took a good look at what she's brought back
0:20:31 > 0:20:33from the supermarket.
0:20:33 > 0:20:36Inside those shopping bags was a total of 16 products,
0:20:36 > 0:20:39on which she spent £43.90.
0:20:40 > 0:20:44I firmly believe that buying in multipack saves me money and leaves
0:20:44 > 0:20:47more money for us to spend on other things for our family.
0:20:47 > 0:20:50We've got our crisps in a 24-pack.
0:20:50 > 0:20:53That'll probably last us about three or four days at the maximum.
0:20:53 > 0:20:57We always buy chopped tomatoes in a multipack,
0:20:57 > 0:21:02purely because we do a lot of chicken dishes and pasta and rice.
0:21:02 > 0:21:03I would always pick water.
0:21:03 > 0:21:05I would be drawn to this one,
0:21:05 > 0:21:07because it's very easy to put... to pick up,
0:21:07 > 0:21:10put in the trolley and get home easily with the children with me.
0:21:12 > 0:21:14Claire is convinced that she's saved herself a packet,
0:21:14 > 0:21:18but retail behavioural expert Phillip Adcock isn't so sure
0:21:18 > 0:21:20that that's always the case.
0:21:20 > 0:21:23We have been conditioned over our lives to think bigger packs
0:21:23 > 0:21:25represent better value.
0:21:25 > 0:21:27So, if you've got a small can and a big can,
0:21:27 > 0:21:31you think the bigger can will be less per 100ml.
0:21:31 > 0:21:33The supermarkets and brands work hard to give us
0:21:33 > 0:21:36more product for less money, but there are exceptions to the rule.
0:21:36 > 0:21:37Go in there eyes wide open.
0:21:39 > 0:21:40'And to prove the point,
0:21:40 > 0:21:42'Phillip is going to show me examples of multipacks
0:21:42 > 0:21:46'from the big four supermarkets that really could save you money,
0:21:46 > 0:21:49'as well as some that, on the days we looked online,
0:21:49 > 0:21:51'weren't quite such a bargain.'
0:21:51 > 0:21:53Let's start with the crisps, for example.
0:21:53 > 0:21:55- This actually is a good deal.- Ah.
0:21:55 > 0:21:58We can buy six packets of Walkers salt-and-vinegar crisps,
0:21:58 > 0:22:01and if we buy a six-pack, it costs us £1.50.
0:22:01 > 0:22:03That is £1 per 100g.
0:22:03 > 0:22:05If we buy one 32...
0:22:05 > 0:22:07- That's just a single bag. - A single bag.
0:22:07 > 0:22:09As the foods go, it's a slightly bigger bag, but it's one bag -
0:22:09 > 0:22:14that costs us 55p or £1.69 per 100g.
0:22:14 > 0:22:1669% more expensive,
0:22:16 > 0:22:18so the advice is, go and buy a multipack.
0:22:18 > 0:22:20- So the multipack worked out well, then.- Very well.
0:22:20 > 0:22:23Let's go onto the juices. Children love the juices, don't they?
0:22:23 > 0:22:25- Not so good.- Not so good? OK. - Not so good value.
0:22:25 > 0:22:30If you buy eight, that'll cost you £2.98 or 18.6p per 100ml.
0:22:30 > 0:22:35If you buy just a single 2.75ml bottle, just one, that's only 18.2p,
0:22:35 > 0:22:36so it's cheaper per 100ml to
0:22:36 > 0:22:39buy eight singles than one pack of eight.
0:22:39 > 0:22:40In your mind, in the consumer mind,
0:22:40 > 0:22:43- you'd think it'd be better than the pack.- Yes, cos we've been trained.
0:22:43 > 0:22:45- OK.- Yes. We've got Maryland cookies.
0:22:45 > 0:22:47You can buy two packs, a twin pack -
0:22:47 > 0:22:51they're stuck together, in one bag, for £2.49.
0:22:51 > 0:22:53That's 62p per 100g.
0:22:53 > 0:22:55Or you can buy one times 230ml pack -
0:22:55 > 0:22:57one, that's a bigger pack where there's only one -
0:22:57 > 0:23:00for 47p per 100g.
0:23:00 > 0:23:03That makes the twin pack 30% more expensive.
0:23:03 > 0:23:04That is outrageous.
0:23:04 > 0:23:06- It's cheeky.- It is cheeky.
0:23:09 > 0:23:11Now, of course, supermarket prices change all the time,
0:23:11 > 0:23:14but on the day we checked quite a selection of multipacks,
0:23:14 > 0:23:18most of the ones we looked at did offer good value for money.
0:23:18 > 0:23:21Nonetheless, there were still a few that worked out more expensive than
0:23:21 > 0:23:23if you'd bought the individual items.
0:23:25 > 0:23:28Take, for example, this three-pack of Wispa bars.
0:23:28 > 0:23:33When we shopped, we found it priced at £1.50 for three 30g bars -
0:23:33 > 0:23:36so that's 50p a bar.
0:23:36 > 0:23:40Meanwhile, a single 39g bar was 60p.
0:23:40 > 0:23:42So, although at first glance
0:23:42 > 0:23:44it looks like the multipack offers better value,
0:23:44 > 0:23:47in fact, because the bars are smaller in the multipack
0:23:47 > 0:23:48per gram of chocolate,
0:23:48 > 0:23:52that individual bar works out better value.
0:23:52 > 0:23:54Likewise, these Heinz Five Beanz,
0:23:54 > 0:23:57on offer the day we checked at three tins for £2,
0:23:57 > 0:24:02but you could get exactly the same size single tins for just 50p.
0:24:02 > 0:24:04In other words, buying three separate tins rather than
0:24:04 > 0:24:09the multipack would save you 50p - the price of a whole extra tin.
0:24:09 > 0:24:11Now, supermarkets, on their websites,
0:24:11 > 0:24:14do make these price differences clear,
0:24:14 > 0:24:17but the time it takes working it all out may outweigh the benefit of
0:24:17 > 0:24:19any possible savings.
0:24:19 > 0:24:22And, after all, for many, including Claire,
0:24:22 > 0:24:25the appeal of the multipack lies in its convenience.
0:24:25 > 0:24:29But the good news is that Phillip thinks the examples we found are
0:24:29 > 0:24:33an anomaly, and not a deliberate attempt to rip us off.
0:24:33 > 0:24:36Supermarketing now, from the retailer's side and the brand side,
0:24:36 > 0:24:40is so fast and so furious, they just can't keep up with themselves.
0:24:40 > 0:24:44So, if they hear that Morrisons is doing a deal on eight-packs,
0:24:44 > 0:24:46Tesco wants the same deal for Pepsi,
0:24:46 > 0:24:48so they'll knee-jerk and match the deal,
0:24:48 > 0:24:50and what happens is things get out of line.
0:24:50 > 0:24:54And whereas we could totally trust everybody to give us the best value,
0:24:54 > 0:24:57now it's down to us, because there is no one magic person
0:24:57 > 0:25:00keeping an eye on all the prices - the bigger is better value.
0:25:02 > 0:25:04As we've highlighted before,
0:25:04 > 0:25:07the key to whether a product really is a bargain lies in the unit price
0:25:07 > 0:25:11information, usually in the very small print on the shelf label,
0:25:11 > 0:25:15and I'm afraid the only way to know for sure is to do your sums,
0:25:15 > 0:25:17comparing those unit prices to work out which
0:25:17 > 0:25:20is the best value for money.
0:25:20 > 0:25:23Focus on the pence per ml, the pence per litre, the pence per gram.
0:25:23 > 0:25:25Don't leave your brain in the car.
0:25:25 > 0:25:27Treat supermarket shopping as a job of work.
0:25:27 > 0:25:30There's lots of bargains to be had, lots of extra value,
0:25:30 > 0:25:32but you've got to go out there and look for it.
0:25:35 > 0:25:38Back at Claire's house, how did her purchases stack up?
0:25:38 > 0:25:42Did she pick multipack bargains or multipack mark-ups?
0:25:43 > 0:25:45Well, for 14 of the 16 items she bought,
0:25:45 > 0:25:49she had got better value by buying the multipack.
0:25:49 > 0:25:51The biggest saving was on crisps,
0:25:51 > 0:25:54which were more than £7 less than she'd have paid for
0:25:54 > 0:25:56the equivalent weight in individual packets.
0:25:57 > 0:26:00But she lost out on two items in her trolley -
0:26:00 > 0:26:02her chopped tomatoes and tuna.
0:26:02 > 0:26:05The four-pack of chopped tomatoes cost £3.50
0:26:05 > 0:26:06but, at the same store,
0:26:06 > 0:26:10individual tins were on special offer at 50p each.
0:26:10 > 0:26:13So buying four loose ones rather than the multipack
0:26:13 > 0:26:16would, today at least, have saved her £1.50.
0:26:16 > 0:26:20Similarly, individual tins of tuna were also on offer
0:26:20 > 0:26:23at lower than their usual price of £1,
0:26:23 > 0:26:26meaning it was cheaper to buy three tins that way
0:26:26 > 0:26:29rather than spend £5 on the multipack.
0:26:31 > 0:26:34But, overall, Claire's shop was a resounding vote of confidence
0:26:34 > 0:26:35in the multipack.
0:26:35 > 0:26:39She saved a grand total of £28.93,
0:26:39 > 0:26:43compared to what she'd have paid buying the same foods individually.
0:26:43 > 0:26:45Wow.
0:26:45 > 0:26:47I can't believe it.
0:26:47 > 0:26:52I would expect to have saved money, but not quite as much money as that.
0:26:52 > 0:26:55If I'd have bought all of these items individually,
0:26:55 > 0:26:58my shopping bill would have been nearly double what we actually paid,
0:26:58 > 0:27:01so I'm absolutely flabbergasted.
0:27:01 > 0:27:03Amazing.
0:27:03 > 0:27:06Even so, she'd rather not have lost out on those two items
0:27:06 > 0:27:07that weren't better value,
0:27:07 > 0:27:10so while she'll still be heading for the multipacks
0:27:10 > 0:27:11whenever she goes to the supermarket,
0:27:11 > 0:27:14from now on, she might just take a look at some of the other deals
0:27:14 > 0:27:17and special offers along the way.
0:27:17 > 0:27:22In future, I'd like to think that I will check some of the multipacks to
0:27:22 > 0:27:23see if they're on offer,
0:27:23 > 0:27:26if it's actually saving the money to buy them individually,
0:27:26 > 0:27:29but I don't think it will change the way I shop.
0:27:29 > 0:27:33Erm, I'll just be confident that I am going to save some money.
0:27:33 > 0:27:37- ALL:- Yay!
0:27:39 > 0:27:41Well, that's just about it for today,
0:27:41 > 0:27:44but I do hope that you've been able to pick up some hints and advice
0:27:44 > 0:27:47and what to keep in mind about the food you buy.
0:27:47 > 0:27:50And, of course, you can also find more advice on our website.
0:27:50 > 0:27:51The address is...
0:27:54 > 0:27:56And from there you can also send us your own stories
0:27:56 > 0:27:57for us to investigate -
0:27:57 > 0:28:00whether they're about food or indeed any of the other topics
0:28:00 > 0:28:02that we investigate throughout the year.
0:28:02 > 0:28:04Well, we'll be back to look into more of your stories very soon,
0:28:04 > 0:28:06but, until then, thanks for joining us
0:28:06 > 0:28:09and, until next time, from all of us here, goodbye.
0:28:09 > 0:28:11- Bye-bye.- Bye-bye.