Supermarket Sleuths: Do you really need two packets of biscuits? The hidden trap behind ‘multi-buy’ deals

Walking into your local supermarket today, you’re hard-pressed to find an aisle that isn’t blanketed in bright sales tags. But these increasingly go beyond simple discounts on single items – instead, shoppers are routinely faced with offers like ‘2 for $5’ or ‘2 for $10’.

In fact, it has never been harder to simply buy an individual item without feeling like you are making a mistake.

In this week’s Supermarket Sleuths, we find out why these offers are so tempting, and what shoppers can do to ensure they truly save.

The ‘multi-buy’ dilemma

Retail expert Gary Mortimer says these offers are a deliberate strategy known as “bundling,” designed to entice shoppers to buy multiple packs at once.

“If they give you 30 per cent off the price of a single pack of Tim Tams, most consumers are more likely to buy one pack,” Mortimer told nine.com.au.

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“If they give multipack offers, consumers will buy multiple packs, which means you move more inventory.”

However, this tactic can create an overwhelming “tyranny of choice” for everyday shoppers, adding unnecessary friction to a routine grocery trip.

Part of this stress stems from a shift in how Australians view supermarket pricing.

Dr Jana Bowden, a consumer psychologist from Macquarie University, notes shoppers today are far more attuned to marketing tactics than they used to be.

“Customers these days are more hyper-aware of how sales strategies work in fast-moving consumer goods, and how discounting is used to target them,” she told nine.com.au.

“The ACCC findings around the supermarkets and pricing has actually opened the eyes of many consumers.”

The biscuit aisle ‘maths test’

Take a recent real-world example: a “2 for $5” shelf tag on Oreo Caramilk biscuits.

A shopper who walks down the aisle, planning to happily buy just one packet, is suddenly forced to do on-the-spot mental gymnastics.

A single packet costs $3.20; buying two means paying $2.50 for each, which saves 70c per pack.

The catch being that you must spend a total of $5, which is $1.80 more than if you had just stuck to your original plan and bought one packet only.

Unless you are a seasoned shopper who habitually questions sales tags, it’s easy to grab two packets immediately under the assumption you’ve scored a bargain.

And then there were two

Beyond the upfront cost, multi-buy deals create a psychological hurdle in the pantry.

A shopper who only wanted one packet of biscuits to enjoy with a cup of tea each afternoon is unlikely to store the second packet away for the following week – we naturally eat whatever looks tastiest when the pantry doors open.

Whether you actually save money depends entirely on how long those extra treats last in your home.

Dr Bowden points out these promotional structures can also quietly undermine a shopper’s household budget.

“It really comes back to consumers budgeting and setting their strategy for what they need to buy that week, and then honing in on the best deals for them based on that set of actual needs, not on wants,” she said.

“It is true that sometimes, buying in bulk when you get these offers [means] you are getting a sense of saving if you don’t mind hanging onto that stock.

“However, on the flip side, from a consumer ethics perspective, that often leads to overbuying and buying products you don’t need, plus also spending money you didn’t have.

"There’s definitely two sides to that equation. It depends on what kind of shopper you are, what you’re looking for, and what you actually need that week."