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 > 0:01:40Coming up, now we're all getting used to paying that 5p charge for
0:01:40 > 0:01:45supermarket carrier bags, we'll see exactly who's getting the money.
0:01:45 > 0:01:49We've had very, very few people complain because we make it clear
0:01:49 > 0:01:51by the checkout where the money goes,
0:01:51 > 0:01:54and if we say, "This 5p is going to Alzheimer's Research,"
0:01:54 > 0:01:56who's going to argue?
0:01:56 > 0:01:59And would you know how many of these foods
0:01:59 > 0:02:01are fit for vegetarians to eat?
0:02:01 > 0:02:03There's quite a lot here you'd give them, then?
0:02:03 > 0:02:06- Most of it, I think.- Yeah. Would you?- Yes, I think so. Yeah.
0:02:06 > 0:02:08- I'm wrong, aren't I?- Yeah.
0:02:11 > 0:02:14Next, something that's a real bugbear for a lot of you.
0:02:14 > 0:02:17Now, we know from all the e-mails and letters we get about this
0:02:17 > 0:02:19just how fed up some of you are
0:02:19 > 0:02:22with the way that food packaging sometimes disguises
0:02:22 > 0:02:25how little of the actual product might be tucked away inside.
0:02:25 > 0:02:29That big box may contain as much air as the content you're supposed to
0:02:29 > 0:02:32be getting for your money, which, depending on your point of view,
0:02:32 > 0:02:36you've told us that you find it wasteful, misleading or indeed both.
0:02:36 > 0:02:40So we've rounded up some products to get to the bottom of why the size of
0:02:40 > 0:02:42the packaging doesn't always reflect
0:02:42 > 0:02:44the amount of food that you're buying.
0:02:47 > 0:02:49You may have experienced it yourself -
0:02:49 > 0:02:52big packets of food you've bought at the supermarket that,
0:02:52 > 0:02:54far from being filled to the brim,
0:02:54 > 0:02:57turned out to be almost half-empty.
0:02:57 > 0:03:02Normally, when you buy a large bag of potato chips,
0:03:02 > 0:03:03you will find that,
0:03:03 > 0:03:06by the time you've opened them up and the air has come out,
0:03:06 > 0:03:10the bag is that full and not that full.
0:03:10 > 0:03:13Some of the cereals you buy are three-quarters-full.
0:03:13 > 0:03:18Crisp bags, they're half-full, sweet packets are half-full.
0:03:18 > 0:03:20Full of air. All blown-up bags and when you open them,
0:03:20 > 0:03:22the air comes out and there's nothing in them.
0:03:22 > 0:03:24So, I went to a particular supermarket,
0:03:24 > 0:03:28bought a lovely selection of cheeses,
0:03:28 > 0:03:30but when I opened it up with all... with a lot of packaging.
0:03:30 > 0:03:32When I opened it all up,
0:03:32 > 0:03:33the majority of it was packaging.
0:03:33 > 0:03:38Very small choices of cheese, so not good value for money.
0:03:38 > 0:03:40I've had it with, like, cakes.
0:03:40 > 0:03:43You know, they're in a massive box and there's polystyrene in it,
0:03:43 > 0:03:45and then when you get to the cakes, there's hardly anything there.
0:03:45 > 0:03:48Well, a number of you have written to us about exactly this subject
0:03:48 > 0:03:51after being disappointed by the contents of
0:03:51 > 0:03:52the packaging you've bought.
0:03:52 > 0:03:55Wendy Rowland from Carmarthenshire for one.
0:03:55 > 0:03:57She has coeliac disease -
0:03:57 > 0:04:00an autoimmune disease affecting the digestive system.
0:04:01 > 0:04:04There's not a lot of choice when it comes to coeliacs,
0:04:04 > 0:04:05for breakfast cereals.
0:04:05 > 0:04:07It's mainly cornflakes.
0:04:07 > 0:04:09It's just cornflakes and more cornflakes.
0:04:09 > 0:04:13When I saw the box of Tesco Special Flakes,
0:04:13 > 0:04:17I thought, "Hmm, not a bad price. I'll give them a go."
0:04:17 > 0:04:20I opened the box and I thought, "Oh, where's the inner bag?"
0:04:20 > 0:04:23And I peered in and I thought, "Oh, that's a bit low."
0:04:23 > 0:04:26So I pulled it out and I put it alongside like that
0:04:26 > 0:04:29and I thought, "Well, surely they could have filled the box up
0:04:29 > 0:04:33with more cereal, because I thought I'd got a box full of cereal."
0:04:33 > 0:04:35When I hold the product up next to its box,
0:04:35 > 0:04:41I just feel that, did it really need to go into such a big box?
0:04:41 > 0:04:43I was certainly taken in by the size of the box.
0:04:43 > 0:04:45I thought I was getting value for money,
0:04:45 > 0:04:48but when I opened it up I realised I wasn't getting value for money.
0:04:49 > 0:04:53Now, of course, manufacturers are not breaking any rules by selling
0:04:53 > 0:04:55their products in oversized packaging
0:04:55 > 0:04:58and Wendy's cornflakes are by no means the only -
0:04:58 > 0:05:00or indeed the worst - offender.
0:05:00 > 0:05:03You don't have to look very far to find other cereals that may perhaps
0:05:03 > 0:05:05seem more air than oats,
0:05:05 > 0:05:07confectionery that's more space than sweets,
0:05:07 > 0:05:09and a snack that is more packet than crisps.
0:05:11 > 0:05:14'So, I met up with author and shopping psychologist
0:05:14 > 0:05:15'Phillip Adcock
0:05:15 > 0:05:19'to get his take on a few other products that contain a little less
0:05:19 > 0:05:20than meets the eye.'
0:05:20 > 0:05:22Phillip, as we're looking at packaging and the amounts
0:05:22 > 0:05:25and so on, when I look at something like this,
0:05:25 > 0:05:27I think to myself... I mean, look at that.
0:05:27 > 0:05:30It's just about a third full.
0:05:30 > 0:05:33It's ridiculous. Why would people pick up a bag of that when they know
0:05:33 > 0:05:34it's only a third full?
0:05:34 > 0:05:37Psychologically, we'll always go for the bigger packet.
0:05:37 > 0:05:39In the days of evolution, a long time ago,
0:05:39 > 0:05:41if you saw a big apple on a tree, you'd pick it,
0:05:41 > 0:05:43so we're naturally drawn to the bigger packet
0:05:43 > 0:05:46and, dare I say, children definitely like the bigger packet
0:05:46 > 0:05:47cos they think there's more in it.
0:05:47 > 0:05:49I'm going to let you open the packet
0:05:49 > 0:05:51cos, as I get older, I can't open any packet at all.
0:05:51 > 0:05:54So, we're going to see how many more, in fact, we could get in.
0:05:54 > 0:05:57Yeah, so that holds five to start with.
0:05:57 > 0:05:58- Five? Only five? - There's five in there now.
0:05:58 > 0:06:00- Gosh, shall I count them in?- Yeah.
0:06:00 > 0:06:06Six, seven, eight, nine, ten,
0:06:06 > 0:06:0811, 12...
0:06:08 > 0:06:09It still shuts?
0:06:09 > 0:06:12- Yeah, it still shuts. - Oh, it could take another one.
0:06:12 > 0:06:1413... I'm not going to put it up too high.
0:06:14 > 0:06:16- 14. I think it would take 15. - That's probably...
0:06:16 > 0:06:1715 would be about the maximum.
0:06:17 > 0:06:22- 15.- And that will still stack on the shelf in the supermarket.- That...
0:06:22 > 0:06:24That is terrible, isn't it?
0:06:24 > 0:06:27'So, you could quite easily fit in three times as many Mini Moons
0:06:27 > 0:06:31'in this packet as Tesco currently puts in.'
0:06:31 > 0:06:33I would feel hoodwinked about this packaging.
0:06:33 > 0:06:36So what is the answer to that, in terms of the manufacturer?
0:06:36 > 0:06:38I don't know because it's a case of who blinks first.
0:06:38 > 0:06:39If that product on the shelf
0:06:39 > 0:06:42has got certain, what they call "standout" -
0:06:42 > 0:06:43so you've got a big row of products
0:06:43 > 0:06:45all brightly coloured for the children to see
0:06:45 > 0:06:46and the parents to see -
0:06:46 > 0:06:48if that one's got a "standout",
0:06:48 > 0:06:50it's who can be good and shrink their pack,
0:06:50 > 0:06:52cos as soon as one shrinks the pack,
0:06:52 > 0:06:55- theirs is smaller than everybody else's.- Mmm.
0:06:55 > 0:06:58And so, suddenly, it doesn't look as good value.
0:06:58 > 0:07:00'Let's try another. And this one, I must say,
0:07:00 > 0:07:02'I do find extraordinary.'
0:07:02 > 0:07:05So it says here "five lunchtime loaves",
0:07:05 > 0:07:09but already there's a big space there, so that's not even full.
0:07:09 > 0:07:10I would expect if I opened that...
0:07:10 > 0:07:12I'm going to let you open the pack anyway.
0:07:12 > 0:07:15If I opened that pack that it would be right up to the top.
0:07:16 > 0:07:19'Well, I do think the manufacturer here could have put in another bar.
0:07:19 > 0:07:22'It just looks like they've missed one out.
0:07:22 > 0:07:25'So is this just part of another trend you often write to us about -
0:07:25 > 0:07:29'products shrinking in size but staying the same price?'
0:07:29 > 0:07:31So, generally speaking,
0:07:31 > 0:07:33is the product inside the bag getting smaller?
0:07:33 > 0:07:36Over the years, the supermarkets have negotiated harder and harder
0:07:36 > 0:07:39to get us better prices. That's actually a good thing.
0:07:39 > 0:07:42It gets to the stage where the brands that supply them
0:07:42 > 0:07:43can't make it for the money,
0:07:43 > 0:07:46so they have to what they call "value-engineer" the products -
0:07:46 > 0:07:49basically give less in the pack - and that's so...
0:07:49 > 0:07:52The only way they can meet the supermarket's price
0:07:52 > 0:07:55is by putting less in the pack.
0:07:55 > 0:07:56'And here's another product.
0:07:56 > 0:07:59'It's a favourite of my grandchildren, for sure - popcorn.'
0:07:59 > 0:08:01So, not quite half.
0:08:01 > 0:08:03That's less than half-full.
0:08:03 > 0:08:07See, if I opened that and I'd go to stick my hand in it, which I would,
0:08:07 > 0:08:09I'd sort of think, "Oh, who's been eating the remainder?"
0:08:09 > 0:08:13You know, it looks like somebody's had half the bag, doesn't it?
0:08:15 > 0:08:19Whatever the reason behind the trend of big packaging, back in Wales,
0:08:19 > 0:08:23Wendy feels thoroughly short-changed and she's keen to see how many more
0:08:23 > 0:08:27of those gluten-free flakes could actually fit inside the box.
0:08:27 > 0:08:29Now, that's more or less what I expect to see
0:08:29 > 0:08:31when I open a packet of cereals.
0:08:31 > 0:08:36I managed to get 150g more into this box of product,
0:08:36 > 0:08:39which is 50% more than it's marketed at,
0:08:39 > 0:08:41and there's still plenty of room in the box.
0:08:41 > 0:08:43I do feel it was badly under-filled,
0:08:43 > 0:08:46and I do feel it was designed so that the customer
0:08:46 > 0:08:50will pick it up off the shelf thinking they've got a good deal,
0:08:50 > 0:08:52when, in actual fact, it's not a good deal.
0:08:54 > 0:08:56'Keen to gauge public opinion on the matter,
0:08:56 > 0:08:59'Wendy has taken her half-empty cereal box to
0:08:59 > 0:09:01'her nearby town of Porth.'
0:09:01 > 0:09:04What would you think if you were buying this packet of cereal?
0:09:04 > 0:09:07Where would you expect the contents to come up to?
0:09:07 > 0:09:09If I give you this bit of paper with a bit of sticky each side,
0:09:09 > 0:09:13could you put it on the packet to say about where
0:09:13 > 0:09:15you expect it to come up to?
0:09:15 > 0:09:16I think a bit higher?
0:09:16 > 0:09:20Yeah, I'd say probably about... at least up to there.
0:09:20 > 0:09:22If I show you that that's actually where it comes up to,
0:09:22 > 0:09:24what would you say, I wonder?
0:09:24 > 0:09:27Not good. It is misleading.
0:09:27 > 0:09:28Oh, my gosh!
0:09:28 > 0:09:30That is, well... That is low, isn't it?
0:09:30 > 0:09:32Mmm-hmm.
0:09:32 > 0:09:36I think that's a little bit unfair to present something in the box that
0:09:36 > 0:09:39is so much too big for it. No, I don't think that's right.
0:09:39 > 0:09:40They should cut that down a bit.
0:09:40 > 0:09:42Well, it's a rip-off, isn't it?
0:09:42 > 0:09:44Because it's more or less half the size.
0:09:44 > 0:09:47Just a little bit more than half of the size
0:09:47 > 0:09:49where it is actually coming up to.
0:09:51 > 0:09:55Well, Wendy didn't meet many people who disagreed with her,
0:09:55 > 0:09:57but when we asked Tesco about its packaging of this product,
0:09:57 > 0:10:00and indeed about those Mini Moon cheeses I saw earlier,
0:10:00 > 0:10:03the company didn't want to comment.
0:10:03 > 0:10:06As for the manufacturers of the other products we looked at,
0:10:06 > 0:10:08well, when we got in touch with Soreen,
0:10:08 > 0:10:10the maker of those lunchbox loaves,
0:10:10 > 0:10:14it told us that it had received similar feedback from its own
0:10:14 > 0:10:16customers, who felt that the packaging was excessive.
0:10:16 > 0:10:17As a result,
0:10:17 > 0:10:20it's "been investigating ways to reduce the level of packaging",
0:10:20 > 0:10:25and a new, more streamlined packet will be rolled out from May 2016.
0:10:26 > 0:10:28And Asda, which sells the popcorn,
0:10:28 > 0:10:31explained that corn is an ingredient with
0:10:31 > 0:10:33"varying expansion characteristics".
0:10:33 > 0:10:36In other words, not all kernels pop to the same size,
0:10:36 > 0:10:39so its bags are sized to ensure that they'll fit
0:10:39 > 0:10:41"both low- and high-density popped corn".
0:10:41 > 0:10:45Asda also said that air plays an important role in cushioning
0:10:45 > 0:10:48the delicate kernels and assured us that its production line
0:10:48 > 0:10:50will detect and discard
0:10:50 > 0:10:53"any bags that fall short of the declared weight".
0:10:54 > 0:10:56But as we dash around the supermarkets,
0:10:56 > 0:10:58falling foul of oversized packaging,
0:10:58 > 0:11:01Phillip suggests we start thinking differently about the things
0:11:01 > 0:11:03we choose to buy.
0:11:03 > 0:11:06Unless we stop and think, and that's what we call "considered shopping",
0:11:06 > 0:11:09then we're not thinking about what we're buying rationally.
0:11:09 > 0:11:12OK, if you're being the perfect shopper, then how would you do it?
0:11:12 > 0:11:16First thing I would do is I would start to try and ignore -
0:11:16 > 0:11:18this is going to sound strange - the price.
0:11:18 > 0:11:20That big, appealing... Yeah, the red-and-yellow ticket?
0:11:20 > 0:11:23Pay attention to the little number in the corner
0:11:23 > 0:11:25which is the pence per gram, pence per litre.
0:11:25 > 0:11:27Compare those. And that's the second point.
0:11:27 > 0:11:30Don't just say, "A pound or a kilo, that's about right,"
0:11:30 > 0:11:32look to either side.
0:11:32 > 0:11:34Compare. Thirdly, take your glasses.
0:11:34 > 0:11:37Yes, remember the glasses - I agree with that.
0:11:42 > 0:11:45Here in the UK, it's estimated that more than a million people are
0:11:45 > 0:11:50vegetarian, all of them taking great care about the food that they eat,
0:11:50 > 0:11:54but it remains the case that several everyday foods that you might assume
0:11:54 > 0:11:58are suitable for vegetarians are in fact no such thing.
0:11:58 > 0:12:01And even if you do know which ones to watch out for when
0:12:01 > 0:12:04you're shopping, you obviously won't have the same control about
0:12:04 > 0:12:08what's being put in your food if you're eating out.
0:12:10 > 0:12:13Now, you might think that being a vegetarian was relatively
0:12:13 > 0:12:16straightforward, provided you follow the one simple rule -
0:12:16 > 0:12:18don't eat meat.
0:12:18 > 0:12:21But, whilst avoiding a steak or a spag bol should be easy enough,
0:12:21 > 0:12:25there are plenty of other foods that throw up more of a problem
0:12:25 > 0:12:28because, while you'd probably have never guessed it,
0:12:28 > 0:12:31there might be some sort of animal product inside.
0:12:32 > 0:12:37Are there foods in which there are animal derivatives that we're not so
0:12:37 > 0:12:40clear about? So, let's find out.
0:12:40 > 0:12:45How many of these foods really would be safe for a vegetarian to eat?
0:12:45 > 0:12:48'We're asking the shoppers at Spitalfields Market in London
0:12:48 > 0:12:50'just that question.
0:12:50 > 0:12:53'Let's see if they can guess which of these everyday foods
0:12:53 > 0:12:56'contains any veggie-unfriendly ingredients.'
0:12:56 > 0:13:02What on at this table do you think a vegetarian would be able to eat?
0:13:02 > 0:13:05- That.- Marshmallows? OK.
0:13:05 > 0:13:06Worcester sauce.
0:13:06 > 0:13:08Worcester sauce, righto.
0:13:08 > 0:13:10- Caesar salad.- Salad.
0:13:10 > 0:13:12- Strawberry yoghurt.- Yeah.
0:13:12 > 0:13:15- Grapefruit yoghurt. - Beer, I think you'd be OK with.
0:13:15 > 0:13:17Oh, there's quite a lot you'd give them, then?
0:13:17 > 0:13:18Well, most of it, I think.
0:13:18 > 0:13:20- Would you?- Yeah, I think so, yeah. I'm wrong, aren't I?
0:13:20 > 0:13:23'I'm afraid he is, and he wasn't alone.'
0:13:23 > 0:13:27Marshmallows, no, they definitely can't have the marshmallows.
0:13:27 > 0:13:28- It's got beef gelatine in it. - Right, OK.
0:13:28 > 0:13:32Caesar salad has got anchovies in it - can't have that.
0:13:32 > 0:13:35Parmesan has got calf's rennet in it.
0:13:35 > 0:13:37- Right, OK.- Right.
0:13:37 > 0:13:40The strawberry yoghurt and the pink yoghurt - that's got gelatine in it.
0:13:40 > 0:13:43- Oh, so I...- And that, actually, the pink one contains cochineal,
0:13:43 > 0:13:45which is also from animals.
0:13:45 > 0:13:47- OK.- And beer...
0:13:47 > 0:13:50- Yeah?- ..has got isinglass, which comes from fish.
0:13:50 > 0:13:52Ugh.
0:13:52 > 0:13:54'Uh-oh, not a great start,
0:13:54 > 0:13:58'but surely Spitalfields' veggies will do a bit better.'
0:13:58 > 0:13:59- Are you a vegetarian?- Yes.
0:13:59 > 0:14:03Would you have a look at the foods on this table and tell me which of
0:14:03 > 0:14:07these foods you think you could safely eat as a vegetarian?
0:14:07 > 0:14:09- Pesto.- Right.
0:14:09 > 0:14:14Well, the pesto, authentic pesto contains calf's rennet
0:14:14 > 0:14:16- and some of them have anchovy paste in them.- Ugh.
0:14:16 > 0:14:19- Really? - Yeah, so that's off the menu.
0:14:19 > 0:14:21- Yeah.- Oh!- Thanks(!)
0:14:21 > 0:14:26Which of these foods do you think you would be able to eat?
0:14:26 > 0:14:28- Just beer.- A beer?- Yeah.
0:14:28 > 0:14:34Well, beer has actually got some isinglass in it, which is from fish.
0:14:34 > 0:14:37- No.- So, you can't eat that.- No!
0:14:37 > 0:14:40Parmesan, I could eat that all day.
0:14:40 > 0:14:42I've got a shock for you, vegetarian.
0:14:42 > 0:14:43All right. Right, OK.
0:14:43 > 0:14:49- It's got calf's rennet in it, proper Parmesan.- Nice. Lovely.- All right?
0:14:49 > 0:14:51In fact, none of the products on our table
0:14:51 > 0:14:54were suitable for non-meat-eaters.
0:14:54 > 0:14:57Worcester sauce, for example, contains anchovies,
0:14:57 > 0:14:59and many cheeses, - not just Parmesan -
0:14:59 > 0:15:01use calf rennet - an enzyme
0:15:01 > 0:15:04extracted from their stomachs.
0:15:04 > 0:15:06Similarly, the gelatine found in marshmallows -
0:15:06 > 0:15:09a substance derived from the skin and bones of animals -
0:15:09 > 0:15:12is also found in many ice creams,
0:15:12 > 0:15:14dips and yoghurts.
0:15:14 > 0:15:17And the beer? Whilst the one we used in this demonstration
0:15:17 > 0:15:19wasn't suitable for veggies,
0:15:19 > 0:15:22there are plenty of varieties out there that are.
0:15:24 > 0:15:27But someone who thinks he would have passed our little test with
0:15:27 > 0:15:29flying colours is Rob Colville from Stockport.
0:15:29 > 0:15:31He's been meat-free for over 30 years,
0:15:31 > 0:15:34and while he's confident that he knows his onions about what's in
0:15:34 > 0:15:36the food that he cooks,
0:15:36 > 0:15:40the same can't always be said when he goes out for a meal.
0:15:40 > 0:15:42I really enjoy eating out at restaurants,
0:15:42 > 0:15:45but one of my biggest concerns and frustrations
0:15:45 > 0:15:48is the misunderstanding around what is and is not vegetarian,
0:15:48 > 0:15:51Parmesan cheese finding its way into a lot of vegetarian-labelled dishes
0:15:51 > 0:15:52and it's not vegetarian.
0:15:52 > 0:15:54Fish-based products finding itself into a lot of dishes.
0:15:54 > 0:15:57A lot of the time, the chefs don't understand what is and is not
0:15:57 > 0:15:59vegetarian when it comes to their ingredients,
0:15:59 > 0:16:01so these are the people that are cooking the food -
0:16:01 > 0:16:02if they don't understand it,
0:16:02 > 0:16:05how can vegetarians ever have confidence in eating out?
0:16:06 > 0:16:09To try and tackle some of his concerns, today,
0:16:09 > 0:16:12Rob is visiting the Vegetarian Society in Cheshire...
0:16:12 > 0:16:14- Hello, Lynne.- Hi, Rob. - How are you doing?- I'm...
0:16:14 > 0:16:16..to meet boss Lynne Elliott.
0:16:16 > 0:16:18- Welcome, and come in. - Hello. Thank you.
0:16:18 > 0:16:21One of the things that concerns me quite a lot is that,
0:16:21 > 0:16:24on vegetarian-labelled meals, you're finding things like Parmesan.
0:16:24 > 0:16:27- Yeah.- I mean, is this something you're getting complaints about?
0:16:27 > 0:16:30More than half the complaints we get from people about eating out
0:16:30 > 0:16:34are exactly about Parmesan, so it's a big problem.
0:16:34 > 0:16:36And, sometimes, when I'm looking at the vegetarian options
0:16:36 > 0:16:39that are listed on a menu at a restaurant,
0:16:39 > 0:16:40and I've got some doubts, perhaps,
0:16:40 > 0:16:42about whether it is vegetarian or not.
0:16:42 > 0:16:45So there's nothing that says that it isn't,
0:16:45 > 0:16:48but I'm still not quite sure - what would you advise that I do?
0:16:48 > 0:16:50Talk to the waiting staff, because that is their job.
0:16:50 > 0:16:54They're there to look after you and they do actually want you to have
0:16:54 > 0:16:56a good experience in their restaurant.
0:16:56 > 0:16:59If you feel you need to ask for the chef, ask for the chef.
0:16:59 > 0:17:01I think that chefs perhaps don't always understand
0:17:01 > 0:17:03what is and is not vegetarian.
0:17:03 > 0:17:05How can we make that understanding better communicated
0:17:05 > 0:17:07through to the restaurant industry?
0:17:07 > 0:17:09Yeah, I think you've identified a really big problem,
0:17:09 > 0:17:12because it isn't just the chefs - it's the managers,
0:17:12 > 0:17:13it's the waiting staff, it's the whole...
0:17:13 > 0:17:16You know, everybody who's involved in food outlets and restaurants.
0:17:16 > 0:17:19But there's also an education process, really,
0:17:19 > 0:17:20about cross-contamination,
0:17:20 > 0:17:23because it isn't just the ingredients that are in the food
0:17:23 > 0:17:24that you're eating -
0:17:24 > 0:17:27it's how it's been handled, how it's been stored,
0:17:27 > 0:17:30how it's been prepared and how it's been cooked.
0:17:30 > 0:17:32So it just needs to go into the pot of boiling water...
0:17:32 > 0:17:34To help all of that,
0:17:34 > 0:17:37the Vegetarian Society's principal tutor, Alex Connell,
0:17:37 > 0:17:41has been training chefs for over five years.
0:17:41 > 0:17:42If you're doing a Thai dish,
0:17:42 > 0:17:45watch out for the paste if you use a Thai cookery sauce,
0:17:45 > 0:17:48because they sometimes have fish in there.
0:17:48 > 0:17:49Alcohol, as well.
0:17:49 > 0:17:50Some wine isn't vegetarian,
0:17:50 > 0:17:54so you're going to go to the trouble of making some beautiful vegetarian
0:17:54 > 0:17:55dishes and then spoiling it at the last bit
0:17:55 > 0:17:59by putting a bit of white wine in there that is non-vegetarian.
0:18:00 > 0:18:02Today, Alex is meeting Rob...
0:18:02 > 0:18:04- Hello.- Hi, Rob, nice to meet you.
0:18:04 > 0:18:06..who wants to grill him about something that he's found
0:18:06 > 0:18:11can be one of the most problematic dishes for veggies.
0:18:11 > 0:18:12I absolutely love pesto,
0:18:12 > 0:18:15but one of the things that really frustrates me sometimes
0:18:15 > 0:18:17is that an awful lot of pesto contains
0:18:17 > 0:18:19non-vegetarian cheeses, particularly Parmesan.
0:18:19 > 0:18:23Parmesan cheese, yeah, and vegetarians don't eat Parmesan, OK?
0:18:23 > 0:18:26Now, the reason that it's not vegetarian is that it's got
0:18:26 > 0:18:28an enzyme from a calf's stomach
0:18:28 > 0:18:30and, unfortunately, the calf has to be killed to get the enzyme,
0:18:30 > 0:18:34and that's why Parmesan cheese is not vegetarian.
0:18:34 > 0:18:37But, in fact, restaurants could easily make a tasty pesto
0:18:37 > 0:18:39that doesn't have that problem.
0:18:39 > 0:18:41So, what we're going to do today is we're going to make some
0:18:41 > 0:18:43beautiful home-made pesto, which is so easy
0:18:43 > 0:18:47and, of course, you know that it's not got the Parmesan in it.
0:18:47 > 0:18:51So, the ingredients are some pine nuts, plenty of basil,
0:18:51 > 0:18:53garlic, olive oil,
0:18:53 > 0:18:55salt and pepper and, if you want to put that...
0:18:55 > 0:18:56If you want that cheese flavour,
0:18:56 > 0:18:59then you can get an Italian-style hard cheese.
0:18:59 > 0:19:01- Put the garlic in there... - With all of those ingredients
0:19:01 > 0:19:04put into a food processor...
0:19:04 > 0:19:07So all we need to do is to pop the lid on,
0:19:07 > 0:19:08switch it on...
0:19:08 > 0:19:10MIXER BUZZES
0:19:10 > 0:19:12Hey presto, pesto!
0:19:13 > 0:19:15How easy is that?
0:19:15 > 0:19:17It's actually really quite straightforward.
0:19:17 > 0:19:18Anybody could do it, really.
0:19:18 > 0:19:19Yeah, couldn't be easier.
0:19:19 > 0:19:22So, if you've got a menu item at a restaurant,
0:19:22 > 0:19:25- and you see that there is pesto in that dish...- Right, yeah.
0:19:25 > 0:19:28- ..what would you advise? - Ask. That's the way to...
0:19:28 > 0:19:31And if you're not sure, if you think you're getting fudged,
0:19:31 > 0:19:32get the manager.
0:19:32 > 0:19:35But the thing to look out for, if it's got a "V",
0:19:35 > 0:19:37that's great, but the Vegetarian Society does its own
0:19:37 > 0:19:39independent checking, so if you see
0:19:39 > 0:19:40the Vegetarian Society symbol,
0:19:40 > 0:19:42you know that someone's
0:19:42 > 0:19:44checked it independently.
0:19:44 > 0:19:47And we're done. We just need to serve that.
0:19:47 > 0:19:50Discovering that a supposedly vegetarian meal or product
0:19:50 > 0:19:54actually contains things that aren't veggie at all
0:19:54 > 0:19:57can come as a real shock and prove very upsetting for those who,
0:19:57 > 0:20:00for example, don't eat meat on religious grounds.
0:20:00 > 0:20:04And another thing both Alex and Rob find frustrating
0:20:04 > 0:20:07is a still-common assumption that, if you don't eat meat,
0:20:07 > 0:20:09you will eat fish.
0:20:09 > 0:20:13When you're going out and eating Thai food out, I often ask,
0:20:13 > 0:20:14"Is this vegetarian?"
0:20:14 > 0:20:17And they'll quite often say, "Yes, it's vegetarian," and I'll ask,
0:20:17 > 0:20:19I'll clarify, "Has it got any fish in it?"
0:20:19 > 0:20:22They turn around and say, "Yes," but since when has fish been vegetarian?
0:20:22 > 0:20:24It's something the Vegetarian Society is working on.
0:20:24 > 0:20:26It's very frustrating when restaurants -
0:20:26 > 0:20:28and it's not just Thai restaurants that do this -
0:20:28 > 0:20:31many restaurants assume that vegetarians do eat fish,
0:20:31 > 0:20:33because they might have met someone who said,
0:20:33 > 0:20:35"I'm vegetarian. Yes, I'll eat the tuna,"
0:20:35 > 0:20:37so that does add a little bit of confusion to it.
0:20:37 > 0:20:40So what the Vegetarian Society is doing is trying to make sure
0:20:40 > 0:20:43that chefs and amateur chefs know that
0:20:43 > 0:20:45vegetarians do not eat fish - not ever.
0:20:45 > 0:20:48We don't eat fish - that's the end of it, OK?
0:20:49 > 0:20:55Non-meat-eaters who do eat fish are properly called pesco-vegetarians,
0:20:55 > 0:20:58but it's not just the perils of eating out that can get vegetarians
0:20:58 > 0:21:00hot under the collar.
0:21:00 > 0:21:02Buying the right foods at the supermarket isn't always
0:21:02 > 0:21:04as easy as you might expect.
0:21:05 > 0:21:08So, one of the issues we hear a lot about from consumers is,
0:21:08 > 0:21:10when they're buying food products, the labelling -
0:21:10 > 0:21:12it can be very, very confusing.
0:21:12 > 0:21:13There's a lot of names of things
0:21:13 > 0:21:15that people have never heard of before.
0:21:15 > 0:21:18So there's a lack of consistency and clarity, really.
0:21:18 > 0:21:22We have a "Vegetarian Society approved" trademark
0:21:22 > 0:21:24and that's an attempt to combat some of that,
0:21:24 > 0:21:28so that appears on over 15,000 products now.
0:21:28 > 0:21:30But, despite all of these checks,
0:21:30 > 0:21:33some products do slip through the net
0:21:33 > 0:21:37and have to either be recalled or relabelled.
0:21:37 > 0:21:39In February, the National Trust had to pull all of its
0:21:39 > 0:21:43mulled wine & whisky truffles after it found that,
0:21:43 > 0:21:46despite being labelled as suitable for vegetarians,
0:21:46 > 0:21:51they contained carmine, a food colorant derived from animals.
0:21:51 > 0:21:53And in November last year,
0:21:53 > 0:21:56Lidl withdrew its deluxe olive pesto from sale
0:21:56 > 0:22:00after it, too, was wrongly labelled as suitable for vegetarians,
0:22:00 > 0:22:04despite it containing anchovy paste.
0:22:04 > 0:22:07If you find a product that is labelled suitable for vegetarians
0:22:07 > 0:22:09and then you discover that it isn't,
0:22:09 > 0:22:12then you can let the Vegetarian Society know,
0:22:12 > 0:22:14and also let the manufacturer know, as well,
0:22:14 > 0:22:17because the chances are that they will want to rectify
0:22:17 > 0:22:20the situation and change the labels as soon as possible.
0:22:21 > 0:22:23One thing that we would always say to consumers is,
0:22:23 > 0:22:24check the labelling,
0:22:24 > 0:22:27and check the list of ingredients as best you can.
0:22:27 > 0:22:29Don't assume that, because you bought something last week
0:22:29 > 0:22:31and it was vegetarian, it is this week,
0:22:31 > 0:22:34because food manufacturers change their formulations
0:22:34 > 0:22:35often and frequently.
0:22:35 > 0:22:39So you might have been buying a particular dumpling mix for years
0:22:39 > 0:22:41and then suddenly they've added beef dripping
0:22:41 > 0:22:42and it's no longer vegetarian,
0:22:42 > 0:22:47so keep checking and, query things with food manufacturers.
0:22:47 > 0:22:52Meanwhile, Rob is happy that so many of his concerns are being tackled,
0:22:52 > 0:22:55so that what is and isn't genuinely vegetarian
0:22:55 > 0:22:59is much clearer to veggies and meat-eaters alike.
0:22:59 > 0:23:01Today has been a really good day.
0:23:01 > 0:23:03I've learnt a lot more about what is and is not vegetarian
0:23:03 > 0:23:06and also how to tackle the issues when you're not quite sure -
0:23:06 > 0:23:09understanding what questions to ask and who to ask them.
0:23:17 > 0:23:18Still to come on Rip-Off Britain -
0:23:18 > 0:23:23why buying a multipack doesn't always end up saving you money.
0:23:23 > 0:23:25That makes the twin pack 30% more expensive.
0:23:25 > 0:23:27That is outrageous!
0:23:27 > 0:23:29- It's cheeky.- It is cheeky.
0:23:33 > 0:23:36Now, one of the biggest changes to our shopping habits in recent years
0:23:36 > 0:23:39has been the introduction of a charge for plastic carrier bags
0:23:39 > 0:23:40at big stores.
0:23:40 > 0:23:44There was huge consternation when it was announced that, from 2015,
0:23:44 > 0:23:48English shops would follow the lead of those in the rest of the UK
0:23:48 > 0:23:50and make you pay 5p per bag.
0:23:50 > 0:23:51Well, it's not a huge sum,
0:23:51 > 0:23:54but of course it's one that can mount up very quickly if you keep
0:23:54 > 0:23:57forgetting to take those reusable bags with you.
0:23:57 > 0:24:01Well, already the move has led to a massive reduction in the number of
0:24:01 > 0:24:04bags we use and, therefore, very good for the environment.
0:24:04 > 0:24:06So, as that was the whole point,
0:24:06 > 0:24:08you could argue it's been a big, big success,
0:24:08 > 0:24:11but I'm afraid some of you remain unconvinced,
0:24:11 > 0:24:14and we've had plenty of letters from people wanting to know what happens
0:24:14 > 0:24:15to the money that's raised,
0:24:15 > 0:24:18so that's the question I've been trying to find out something about.
0:24:22 > 0:24:25It wasn't so long ago that we were helping ourselves to a staggering
0:24:25 > 0:24:278.5 billion plastic bags
0:24:27 > 0:24:30from supermarkets every year,
0:24:30 > 0:24:31and as that number kept going up,
0:24:31 > 0:24:34so too did the number simply thrown away.
0:24:35 > 0:24:39So, to try to reduce the number of bags going into landfill, last year,
0:24:39 > 0:24:42the Government in England introduced a 5p charge,
0:24:42 > 0:24:46and it slashed the number of bags in circulation almost overnight,
0:24:46 > 0:24:50but some Rip-Off Britain viewers weren't all that happy about it.
0:24:50 > 0:24:52We've had a number of letters expressing concern.
0:24:52 > 0:24:54Although, several months on,
0:24:54 > 0:24:57it does seem people are coming around to the idea.
0:24:57 > 0:25:00I mean, to be fair, I use my own bags mainly now, but...
0:25:00 > 0:25:01And I always have done, you know,
0:25:01 > 0:25:04but I think it's just a bit of a rip-off.
0:25:04 > 0:25:07I always forget to bring my bags out, so I've got, like,
0:25:07 > 0:25:08three cupboards full of bags.
0:25:08 > 0:25:12I think it's a good thing, because it might reduce waste.
0:25:12 > 0:25:14I'm all for it, to be quite honest.
0:25:14 > 0:25:18Everybody's got a bag and it just stops all the litter
0:25:18 > 0:25:20and all the waste, doesn't it, really?
0:25:20 > 0:25:23I try and remember my carrier bags, but if I don't,
0:25:23 > 0:25:25I don't mind paying 5p on the odd occasion.
0:25:27 > 0:25:31Stores in Wales have been charging for bags since 2011,
0:25:31 > 0:25:33and in Scotland since 2014.
0:25:34 > 0:25:37Since the law was introduced in England last October,
0:25:37 > 0:25:41Morrisons and Tesco have reported an 80% drop in demand
0:25:41 > 0:25:43for single-use bags.
0:25:43 > 0:25:46Iceland boss Malcolm Walker is delighted there's been
0:25:46 > 0:25:48such a dramatic result so quickly.
0:25:48 > 0:25:52Malcolm, remind us why the 5p charge was introduced for bags.
0:25:52 > 0:25:55Well, the Government introduced it as a way to encourage people to
0:25:55 > 0:25:59use reusable bags and cut down the wastage.
0:25:59 > 0:26:01Single-use carrier bags are just that -
0:26:01 > 0:26:03they're used once and then thrown away -
0:26:03 > 0:26:07and there are billions used in Britain every year.
0:26:08 > 0:26:12But the scheme has had another benefit beyond simply cutting back
0:26:12 > 0:26:15on the number of bags that will end up going to landfill,
0:26:15 > 0:26:18because most of the money raised from the 5p charge doesn't go to
0:26:18 > 0:26:22the stores, but is expected to go to good causes.
0:26:22 > 0:26:26It's a great win because it has cut down the usage, but also,
0:26:26 > 0:26:27for those that are still sold,
0:26:27 > 0:26:31the money goes to charity and it raises a lot of money.
0:26:31 > 0:26:33When you say a lot of money, how much?
0:26:33 > 0:26:38Well, the charity that we support is Alzheimer's Research,
0:26:38 > 0:26:41and they're building a new dementia centre in London,
0:26:41 > 0:26:46or hoping to, with 350 million, but they're 100 million short.
0:26:46 > 0:26:48And when I heard this, I just thought,
0:26:48 > 0:26:51if all the British supermarkets got together,
0:26:51 > 0:26:56I just worked out that that 5p would amount to about,
0:26:56 > 0:26:59in one year, 100 million.
0:26:59 > 0:27:02It's down to the individual stores where they donate the money,
0:27:02 > 0:27:05but Iceland's been joined by rivals Asda,
0:27:05 > 0:27:09Morrisons and Waitrose in donating money raised from the bag charge
0:27:09 > 0:27:12to the same cause, and that's given construction of
0:27:12 > 0:27:16the new dementia research centre a vital boost.
0:27:16 > 0:27:19Dr Selina Wray from the Institute of Neurology says that
0:27:19 > 0:27:22the new facilities are sorely needed,
0:27:22 > 0:27:25as the existing centres are already at full capacity.
0:27:25 > 0:27:27At the minute, we're full to bursting.
0:27:27 > 0:27:30We can't actually accept more people into the labs,
0:27:30 > 0:27:32because we don't have the space for them to be able to do
0:27:32 > 0:27:36their experiments, so that's a real problem for us.
0:27:36 > 0:27:40We need bigger and better facilities so that we can have more researchers
0:27:40 > 0:27:42working on this important problem.
0:27:44 > 0:27:46It's hoped that, in the first year alone,
0:27:46 > 0:27:51the support of these four big names will raise a total of £20 million -
0:27:51 > 0:27:54a fifth of the shortfall in funding the facility needs.
0:27:55 > 0:27:57The thing that we all want to achieve
0:27:57 > 0:28:01is to get to the point where there's a treatment that will slow down
0:28:01 > 0:28:04the progression of diseases such as Alzheimer's,
0:28:04 > 0:28:07and I feel really optimistic that the new Dementia Research Institute
0:28:07 > 0:28:10will help us reach that point quicker,
0:28:10 > 0:28:14and help us make a real difference to patients and their families.
0:28:15 > 0:28:17And it appears that, in Iceland at least,
0:28:17 > 0:28:21seeing the money raised put to such good use has gone a long way towards
0:28:21 > 0:28:24making customers feel happier about the 5p charge.
0:28:25 > 0:28:28Did many of your customers complain at the very beginning?
0:28:28 > 0:28:31We've had very, very few people complain because we make it clear
0:28:31 > 0:28:33by the checkout where the money goes,
0:28:33 > 0:28:37and if we say, "This 5p is going to Alzheimer's Research,"
0:28:37 > 0:28:38who's going to argue?
0:28:40 > 0:28:43It isn't actually the law that stores have to give the money from
0:28:43 > 0:28:45the bag charge to charity,
0:28:45 > 0:28:47but they're expected to do so,
0:28:47 > 0:28:49and it's clear that cash from plastic bags
0:28:49 > 0:28:53is already being channelled to a whole range of good causes.
0:28:53 > 0:28:57Tesco links up with community projects to improve green spaces,
0:28:57 > 0:28:59while Aldi donates to the RSPB.
0:28:59 > 0:29:02Lidl has chosen to support Keep Britain Tidy
0:29:02 > 0:29:05and the children's cancer charity CLIC Sargent.
0:29:05 > 0:29:09And while there's been speculation that the sturdier, reusable bags
0:29:09 > 0:29:12that you'll get from Sainsbury's meant that they didn't come under
0:29:12 > 0:29:14the same rules as single-use bags,
0:29:14 > 0:29:18and the store might, therefore, itself profit from the money raised,
0:29:18 > 0:29:21Sainsbury's has made it clear that's absolutely not the case
0:29:21 > 0:29:25and all the profits from its bags are voluntarily donated to
0:29:25 > 0:29:27various good causes.
0:29:27 > 0:29:30But there remains one area where some Rip-Off Britain viewers
0:29:30 > 0:29:33still have concerns, and that's when it comes to what happens with
0:29:33 > 0:29:36the bags your online shopping is delivered in.
0:29:36 > 0:29:38The supermarkets don't have a standard policy on
0:29:38 > 0:29:40how to approach this.
0:29:40 > 0:29:44Ocado and Morrisons charge per bag for online deliveries,
0:29:44 > 0:29:46although you'll get that back if you return them.
0:29:46 > 0:29:49And, while several of the other big names do offer the choice of
0:29:49 > 0:29:53a bagless delivery so that you won't face any charge at all,
0:29:53 > 0:29:56if you do plump for getting your food in bags,
0:29:56 > 0:29:59most stores will charge you a flat fee of up to 40p,
0:29:59 > 0:30:01regardless of how many bags are actually used.
0:30:03 > 0:30:06At Iceland, that fee is based on the average number of bags
0:30:06 > 0:30:07used on a delivery.
0:30:07 > 0:30:11It's a flat rate of 25p, which Malcolm says means that
0:30:11 > 0:30:14customers making bigger online orders will benefit.
0:30:14 > 0:30:17- Some people, of course, love to shop online these days...- Yes.
0:30:17 > 0:30:20..and we've had a few complaints from people saying that
0:30:20 > 0:30:22the structure is different than coming into the shop.
0:30:22 > 0:30:25It's a standard charge. How does yours work?
0:30:25 > 0:30:27Well, we have to guess how many carrier bags
0:30:27 > 0:30:32that order will need, and we're guessing at five, which is 25p.
0:30:32 > 0:30:34Now, in fact, you'll... In actual fact,
0:30:34 > 0:30:37most orders are ten, 12 carrier bags,
0:30:37 > 0:30:39so the customer's winning.
0:30:39 > 0:30:41So we've got that standard charge.
0:30:41 > 0:30:43It's the only way we can do it,
0:30:43 > 0:30:46but it's really no different to what goes through the checkout.
0:30:46 > 0:30:50The money is recorded, it's separate and it goes to charity.
0:30:50 > 0:30:53So, all that 25p, or whatever the charge is,
0:30:53 > 0:30:56- that goes to charity, as well? - Except for the VAT.
0:30:56 > 0:30:58VAT is the only element of the bag charge
0:30:58 > 0:30:59that doesn't go to good causes.
0:30:59 > 0:31:02And it's hoped that, over the next ten years,
0:31:02 > 0:31:05all those 5ps will together add up to the amazing amount of
0:31:05 > 0:31:08£730 million.
0:31:08 > 0:31:11One reported downside about the change is a claim from
0:31:11 > 0:31:14the Crown Prosecution Service that it's led to
0:31:14 > 0:31:16a 20% rise in shoplifting,
0:31:16 > 0:31:20but, with the added benefit that an estimated £60 million will be saved
0:31:20 > 0:31:24on litter clean-up costs, overall, it seems that, for once,
0:31:24 > 0:31:27this is one extra charge that it's hard not to agree with.
0:31:27 > 0:31:29What's your assessment, then, of this scheme?
0:31:29 > 0:31:31I mean, what do you think of it?
0:31:31 > 0:31:34I think it's brilliant because everybody wins.
0:31:34 > 0:31:38The environment wins, we're using less bags, there's less litter...
0:31:38 > 0:31:42The customers are having to be more frugal in bringing their own bag,
0:31:42 > 0:31:45charity wins, and even the Government get more VAT,
0:31:45 > 0:31:47so we're all winners.
0:31:52 > 0:31:55Now, if, like me, you fancy yourself as a bit of a savvy shopper,
0:31:55 > 0:31:58then you'll always be looking to get the best value for money
0:31:58 > 0:32:00when you go to the supermarket,
0:32:00 > 0:32:03and you probably assume that a terrific way of making
0:32:03 > 0:32:06some tidy savings is to take advantage of multipack offers
0:32:06 > 0:32:07on your favourite foods.
0:32:07 > 0:32:10After all, buying in bulk has traditionally meant that
0:32:10 > 0:32:12you'll be able to get cheaper prices.
0:32:12 > 0:32:15But now it seems that may not always be the case.
0:32:15 > 0:32:19We've been contacted by a number of viewers who aren't sure whether
0:32:19 > 0:32:22the multipacks they regularly buy are the best value for money,
0:32:22 > 0:32:26so we've done some investigating to see if multipacks really do
0:32:26 > 0:32:28save you a packet.
0:32:30 > 0:32:34Whether it's an eight-pack of crisps, six bars of chocolate,
0:32:34 > 0:32:35or four tins of sweetcorn,
0:32:35 > 0:32:39multipacks seem to offer big savings and a cost-effective way of
0:32:39 > 0:32:42stocking up on foods that you regularly eat,
0:32:42 > 0:32:45and that can prove a life-saver if you've got a hectic household that
0:32:45 > 0:32:46needs a lot of planning,
0:32:46 > 0:32:50as is the case for Claire Cremin from Urmston in Manchester.
0:32:50 > 0:32:52As a busy mum, and with five children
0:32:52 > 0:32:54and running my business from home,
0:32:54 > 0:32:58everything throughout my day has to be very finely planned
0:32:58 > 0:33:01on a daily planning board, and every minute counts.
0:33:01 > 0:33:03I have to be very quick,
0:33:03 > 0:33:05fulfilling all the tasks that I've got in the day.
0:33:05 > 0:33:08The normal things that you would find easy -
0:33:08 > 0:33:11getting up, brushing your teeth, making the breakfast -
0:33:11 > 0:33:12can be quite challenging.
0:33:12 > 0:33:17So, five plates, five lots of food all out at the same time.
0:33:17 > 0:33:20A lot of the time, it's very much just a rush, so it's like,
0:33:20 > 0:33:22"Let's see how quickly we can get everything out
0:33:22 > 0:33:24"and get everybody eating,
0:33:24 > 0:33:26"everybody dressed and then out the door for school."
0:33:26 > 0:33:28BABY GIGGLES
0:33:28 > 0:33:30With quite a schedule to juggle,
0:33:30 > 0:33:32Claire usually heads straight for the multipacks when she does
0:33:32 > 0:33:36her shopping, hoping that they'll save her time and money.
0:33:36 > 0:33:38I've got to go into the supermarket,
0:33:38 > 0:33:40get in and get out with minimal fuss.
0:33:40 > 0:33:43And even at the other end, when I'm unpacking it,
0:33:43 > 0:33:45I can put one big pack of them away,
0:33:45 > 0:33:47as opposed to lots of individual items.
0:33:47 > 0:33:49Even storage in the cupboards -
0:33:49 > 0:33:53if I can store a multipack easier in the cupboards,
0:33:53 > 0:33:55than actual individual items.
0:33:55 > 0:33:57With little space,
0:33:57 > 0:34:00and lacking in space with seven of us in a small three-bedroom,
0:34:00 > 0:34:02we have to think of space-saving, as well.
0:34:02 > 0:34:04CHILDREN LAUGH
0:34:04 > 0:34:07Claire finds multipacks ideal for quickly putting together
0:34:07 > 0:34:09packed lunches for the children, as well...
0:34:09 > 0:34:12I've got five packed lunches to make, so the waters,
0:34:12 > 0:34:14the crisps and the treats - the chocolate treats -
0:34:14 > 0:34:19I would definitely always buy those in a multipack, never individually.
0:34:22 > 0:34:25..but Claire has never stopped to work out whether those multipacks
0:34:25 > 0:34:28genuinely are saving her cash.
0:34:28 > 0:34:31So, I would assume that, if I bought a multipack,
0:34:31 > 0:34:32I would be saving money.
0:34:32 > 0:34:35I've never checked. Again, if I'm rushing in and out,
0:34:35 > 0:34:38I'm not going to spend any time looking at the cost of it
0:34:38 > 0:34:39or calculating it,
0:34:39 > 0:34:42but I would wholeheartedly assume that I'm saving money when
0:34:42 > 0:34:44I buy in bulk, in multipacks.
0:34:44 > 0:34:47DOG BARKS
0:34:47 > 0:34:50So, to help Claire find out if she's getting the bargains she thinks
0:34:50 > 0:34:53she is, we went along with her on a midweek shopping trip
0:34:53 > 0:34:55and we took a good look at what she's brought back
0:34:55 > 0:34:56from the supermarket.
0:34:56 > 0:34:59Inside those shopping bags was a total of 16 products,
0:34:59 > 0:35:02on which she spent £43.90.
0:35:03 > 0:35:08I firmly believe that buying in multipack saves me money and leaves
0:35:08 > 0:35:11more money for us to spend on other things for our family.
0:35:11 > 0:35:14We've got our crisps in a 24-pack.
0:35:14 > 0:35:16That'll probably last us about three or four days at the maximum.
0:35:16 > 0:35:21We always buy chopped tomatoes in a multipack,
0:35:21 > 0:35:25purely because we do a lot of chicken dishes and pasta and rice.
0:35:25 > 0:35:27I would always pick water.
0:35:27 > 0:35:28I would be drawn to this one,
0:35:28 > 0:35:31because it's very easy to put... to pick up,
0:35:31 > 0:35:34put in the trolley and get home easily with the children with me.
0:35:35 > 0:35:38Claire is convinced that she's saved herself a packet,
0:35:38 > 0:35:41but retail behavioural expert Phillip Adcock isn't so sure
0:35:41 > 0:35:43that that's always the case.
0:35:43 > 0:35:47We have been conditioned over our lives to think bigger packs
0:35:47 > 0:35:49represent better value.
0:35:49 > 0:35:51So, if you've got a small can and a big can,
0:35:51 > 0:35:54you think the bigger can will be less per 100ml.
0:35:54 > 0:35:56The supermarkets and brands work hard to give us
0:35:56 > 0:35:59more product for less money, but there are exceptions to the rule.
0:35:59 > 0:36:01Go in there eyes wide open.
0:36:02 > 0:36:03'And to prove the point,
0:36:03 > 0:36:06'Phillip is going to show me examples of multipacks
0:36:06 > 0:36:10'from the big four supermarkets that really could save you money,
0:36:10 > 0:36:12'as well as some that, on the days we looked online,
0:36:12 > 0:36:15'weren't quite such a bargain.'
0:36:15 > 0:36:17Let's start with the crisps, for example.
0:36:17 > 0:36:18- This actually is a good deal.- Ah.
0:36:18 > 0:36:22We can buy six packets of Walkers salt-and-vinegar crisps,
0:36:22 > 0:36:24and if we buy a six-pack, it costs us £1.50.
0:36:24 > 0:36:27That is £1 per 100g.
0:36:27 > 0:36:29If we buy one 32...
0:36:29 > 0:36:30- That's just a single bag. - A single bag.
0:36:30 > 0:36:33As the foods go, it's a slightly bigger bag, but it's one bag -
0:36:33 > 0:36:37that costs us 55p or £1.69 per 100g.
0:36:37 > 0:36:3969% more expensive,
0:36:39 > 0:36:41so the advice is, go and buy a multipack.
0:36:41 > 0:36:44- So the multipack worked out well, then.- Very well.
0:36:44 > 0:36:46Let's go onto the juices. Children love the juices, don't they?
0:36:46 > 0:36:48- Not so good.- Not so good? OK. - Not so good value.
0:36:48 > 0:36:53If you buy eight, that'll cost you £2.98 or 18.6p per 100ml.
0:36:53 > 0:36:59If you buy just a single 2.75ml bottle, just one, that's only 18.2p,
0:36:59 > 0:37:00so it's cheaper per 100ml to
0:37:00 > 0:37:03buy eight singles than one pack of eight.
0:37:03 > 0:37:04In your mind, in the consumer mind,
0:37:04 > 0:37:07- you'd think it'd be better than the pack.- Yes, cos we've been trained.
0:37:07 > 0:37:09- OK.- Yes. We've got Maryland cookies.
0:37:09 > 0:37:11You can buy two packs, a twin pack -
0:37:11 > 0:37:14they're stuck together, in one bag, for £2.49.
0:37:14 > 0:37:16That's 62p per 100g.
0:37:16 > 0:37:19Or you can buy one times 230ml pack -
0:37:19 > 0:37:21one, that's a bigger pack where there's only one -
0:37:21 > 0:37:23for 47p per 100g.
0:37:23 > 0:37:26That makes the twin pack 30% more expensive.
0:37:26 > 0:37:28That is outrageous.
0:37:28 > 0:37:30- It's cheeky.- It is cheeky.
0:37:33 > 0:37:35Now, of course, supermarket prices change all the time,
0:37:35 > 0:37:38but on the day we checked quite a selection of multipacks,
0:37:38 > 0:37:42most of the ones we looked at did offer good value for money.
0:37:42 > 0:37:45Nonetheless, there were still a few that worked out more expensive than
0:37:45 > 0:37:47if you'd bought the individual items.
0:37:49 > 0:37:52Take, for example, this three-pack of Wispa bars.
0:37:52 > 0:37:57When we shopped, we found it priced at £1.50 for three 30g bars -
0:37:57 > 0:37:59so that's 50p a bar.
0:37:59 > 0:38:04Meanwhile, a single 39g bar was 60p.
0:38:04 > 0:38:05So, although at first glance
0:38:05 > 0:38:08it looks like the multipack offers better value,
0:38:08 > 0:38:11in fact, because the bars are smaller in the multipack
0:38:11 > 0:38:12per gram of chocolate,
0:38:12 > 0:38:16that individual bar works out better value.
0:38:16 > 0:38:18Likewise, these Heinz Five Beanz,
0:38:18 > 0:38:21on offer the day we checked at three tins for £2,
0:38:21 > 0:38:25but you could get exactly the same size single tins for just 50p.
0:38:25 > 0:38:28In other words, buying three separate tins rather than
0:38:28 > 0:38:33the multipack would save you 50p - the price of a whole extra tin.
0:38:33 > 0:38:35Now, supermarkets, on their websites,
0:38:35 > 0:38:37do make these price differences clear,
0:38:37 > 0:38:41but the time it takes working it all out may outweigh the benefit of
0:38:41 > 0:38:43any possible savings.
0:38:43 > 0:38:45And, after all, for many, including Claire,
0:38:45 > 0:38:49the appeal of the multipack lies in its convenience.
0:38:49 > 0:38:52But the good news is that Phillip thinks the examples we found are
0:38:52 > 0:38:56an anomaly, and not a deliberate attempt to rip us off.
0:38:56 > 0:38:59Supermarketing now, from the retailer's side and the brand side,
0:38:59 > 0:39:04is so fast and so furious, they just can't keep up with themselves.
0:39:04 > 0:39:07So, if they hear that Morrisons is doing a deal on eight-packs,
0:39:07 > 0:39:09Tesco wants the same deal for Pepsi,
0:39:09 > 0:39:11so they'll knee-jerk and match the deal,
0:39:11 > 0:39:14and what happens is things get out of line.
0:39:14 > 0:39:18And whereas we could totally trust everybody to give us the best value,
0:39:18 > 0:39:21now it's down to us, because there is no one magic person
0:39:21 > 0:39:24keeping an eye on all the prices - the bigger is better value.
0:39:26 > 0:39:27As we've highlighted before,
0:39:27 > 0:39:31the key to whether a product really is a bargain lies in the unit price
0:39:31 > 0:39:35information, usually in the very small print on the shelf label,
0:39:35 > 0:39:38and I'm afraid the only way to know for sure is to do your sums,
0:39:38 > 0:39:41comparing those unit prices to work out which
0:39:41 > 0:39:43is the best value for money.
0:39:43 > 0:39:46Focus on the pence per ml, the pence per litre, the pence per gram.
0:39:46 > 0:39:48Don't leave your brain in the car.
0:39:48 > 0:39:51Treat supermarket shopping as a job of work.
0:39:51 > 0:39:53There's lots of bargains to be had, lots of extra value,
0:39:53 > 0:39:56but you've got to go out there and look for it.
0:39:58 > 0:40:02Back at Claire's house, how did her purchases stack up?
0:40:02 > 0:40:05Did she pick multipack bargains or multipack mark-ups?
0:40:06 > 0:40:09Well, for 14 of the 16 items she bought,
0:40:09 > 0:40:12she had got better value by buying the multipack.
0:40:12 > 0:40:14The biggest saving was on crisps,
0:40:14 > 0:40:17which were more than £7 less than she'd have paid for
0:40:17 > 0:40:19the equivalent weight in individual packets.
0:40:21 > 0:40:23But she lost out on two items in her trolley -
0:40:23 > 0:40:25her chopped tomatoes and tuna.
0:40:25 > 0:40:29The four-pack of chopped tomatoes cost £3.50
0:40:29 > 0:40:30but, at the same store,
0:40:30 > 0:40:34individual tins were on special offer at 50p each.
0:40:34 > 0:40:37So buying four loose ones rather than the multipack
0:40:37 > 0:40:40would, today at least, have saved her £1.50.
0:40:40 > 0:40:43Similarly, individual tins of tuna were also on offer
0:40:43 > 0:40:46at lower than their usual price of £1,
0:40:46 > 0:40:49meaning it was cheaper to buy three tins that way
0:40:49 > 0:40:52rather than spend £5 on the multipack.
0:40:54 > 0:40:57But, overall, Claire's shop was a resounding vote of confidence
0:40:57 > 0:40:59in the multipack.
0:40:59 > 0:41:03She saved a grand total of £28.93,
0:41:03 > 0:41:07compared to what she'd have paid buying the same foods individually.
0:41:07 > 0:41:08Wow.
0:41:08 > 0:41:11I can't believe it.
0:41:11 > 0:41:16I would expect to have saved money, but not quite as much money as that.
0:41:16 > 0:41:18If I'd have bought all of these items individually,
0:41:18 > 0:41:22my shopping bill would have been nearly double what we actually paid,
0:41:22 > 0:41:24so I'm absolutely flabbergasted.
0:41:24 > 0:41:26Amazing.
0:41:26 > 0:41:29Even so, she'd rather not have lost out on those two items
0:41:29 > 0:41:31that weren't better value,
0:41:31 > 0:41:33so while she'll still be heading for the multipacks
0:41:33 > 0:41:35whenever she goes to the supermarket,
0:41:35 > 0:41:38from now on, she might just take a look at some of the other deals
0:41:38 > 0:41:40and special offers along the way.
0:41:40 > 0:41:45In future, I'd like to think that I will check some of the multipacks to
0:41:45 > 0:41:47see if they're on offer,
0:41:47 > 0:41:50if it's actually saving the money to buy them individually,
0:41:50 > 0:41:53but I don't think it will change the way I shop.
0:41:53 > 0:41:56Erm, I'll just be confident that I am going to save some money.
0:41:56 > 0:42:00- ALL:- Yay!
0:42:06 > 0:42:08If you've got a story you'd like us to investigate,
0:42:08 > 0:42:12then we now have even more ways to get in touch.
0:42:12 > 0:42:14You can join in the conversation on our Facebook page.
0:42:14 > 0:42:17Just look for BBC Rip-Off Britain.
0:42:17 > 0:42:19As well as the most up-to-date news,
0:42:19 > 0:42:22you'll also find exclusive behind-the-scenes clips and pictures
0:42:22 > 0:42:24from the show.
0:42:24 > 0:42:27Or you can log onto our website...
0:42:30 > 0:42:33..where there's plenty of advice and fact sheets full of tips on how you
0:42:33 > 0:42:36can avoid getting ripped off.
0:42:36 > 0:42:40Or if you'd like to send us an e-mail, then our address is...
0:42:43 > 0:42:46And, of course, you can send us a letter by post to...
0:42:58 > 0:43:00Well, that's just about it for today,
0:43:00 > 0:43:03but I do hope that you've been able to pick up some hints and advice
0:43:03 > 0:43:06and what to keep in mind about the food you buy.
0:43:06 > 0:43:08And, of course, you can also find more advice on our website.
0:43:08 > 0:43:10The address is...
0:43:12 > 0:43:15And from there you can also send us your own stories
0:43:15 > 0:43:16for us to investigate -
0:43:16 > 0:43:18whether they're about food or indeed any of the other topics
0:43:18 > 0:43:20that we investigate throughout the year.
0:43:20 > 0:43:23Well, we'll be back to look into more of your stories very soon,
0:43:23 > 0:43:25but, until then, thanks for joining us
0:43:25 > 0:43:28and, until next time, from all of us here, goodbye.
0:43:28 > 0:43:30- Bye-bye.- Bye-bye.