Secret codes on food labels that could help slash your food bill – how to spot them

A SHOPPER has revealed the secret codes on food labels that can slash grocery costs.

The savvy saver explained how you could save on a whole host of supermarket items by paying close attention to a specific code on the back of the packaging.

Maneet Kaur, 28 shared how others can slash their grocery bills by half with the trick.

After posting an explainer on TikTok, Ms Kaur, 28 said: "We need to be more conscious about the tricks supermarkets use."

In the viral video, Ms Kaur shows why shoppers should always compare the batch and supplier codes on the packaging of food items.

These codes are issued by manufacturers to allow them to trace where the items end up.

In the clip, the savvy shopper compares a 500g packet of penne pasta from Tesco, which costs 53p, with a 29p packet by Hearty Food Co – also owned by Tesco.

Shockingly, both items have the exact same supplier codes meaning customers could save 24p by buying the cheaper option.

Ms Keur told Jam Press: "I work in the food industry so know that whatever product we make will have a supplier code on it for traceability.

"I went into a supermarket and looked at staple foods like beans, pasta and bread and looked at the codes. It didn’t surprise me but essentially it’s all about how these brands market it to the consumer.

"The only thing I can do is make people more aware that buying branded is not always the best option and we need to be more conscious about the tricks supermarkets use."

But food safety expert Jenna Brown, also known as the Food Safety Mum, said despite the codes being the same, it doesn't mean you're getting exactly the same product.

She previously told The Sun: "While you can use the coding on packaging to identify the same manufacturer, this does not mean that this is the same product is simply just being packaged in different packaging.

"The recipe formulation for the products is often unique to each individual brand, for example, a supermarket's own brand recipe may well be inferior to a 'luxury' or 'finest' branded item resulting in a different product despite them being manufactured at the same site (even on the same production line!)."

Other ways to cut the cost of your supermarket shop

Research what you need before you go. Prices always vary by supermarket and it can pay to change up your shop.

One shopper ditched going to supermarkets altogether in favour of their local wholesaler, that way they could stock up in bulk, at lower prices.

You can also cash in on reduced foods like yellow sticker bargains - these will be items reduced because they're about to meet their best-before date.

They'll still be safe to eat or freeze to make them last longer, but it means you can pick up the same products at an even cheaper price.

Sometimes even timing your shop to stock up just as items are discounted on the shelves can help you get the best bargains - lots of shoppers have said this is in the evening typically.

But being smart about how you shop isn't the only way to slash spending.

Especially as prices continue to rise, there are schemes in place to help the most hard-up buy essentials.

Parents can get up to £442 in Healthy Start vouchers that they can use at the supermarket, on food and more for their children, for example.

Plus, many councils offer supermarket vouchers as part of the Household Support fund - so you can make your money go further with the extra support available.