After all the hope and promise that a new supermarket retailer might finally shake things up in Jersey, it seems that Morrisons has set its prices to effectively match those it inherited from the Sandpiper-run Morrisons Daily franchise.
And, more worryingly, our quick survey this week has revealed that the new Morrisons prices are an eye-watering 45% more expensive than those available items in their own UK stores.
Clearly, they are only just opening up their new Jersey stores, and there is a promise of some kind of loyalty or point-based card being launched at some point, but from a consumer perspective, our brief survey of 20 essential shopping basket items has left us all a little deflated.
Our survey was prompted by some Islanders taking to social media to highlight the fact that they’d spotted a Morrisons Best pizza for £7.39 in Jersey, with the exact same product costing £4.75 in the UK.
Our volunteers will keep monitoring prices to see if they settle down and wait to see how their card may affect prices, but in the meantime please remember to shop around – you will be surprised how much you can save.
To see how Morrisons compares to our other supermarkets, have a look at prices.je.
Prices are correct at the time of doing the survey – they may have changed since
Save the date!
The Jersey Council’s Consumer Fair is back on Saturday, 14 November.
The free fair brings together a range of local organisations offering free information, practical guidance and support on the issues that affect islanders every day.
With just a fortnight to go until Halloween, pumpkins, tubs of sweets, and spooky items have been appearing in the shops in recent weeks.
If you’re planning on taking your children trick or treating, or will be hosting or attending a party, then you may be planning on buying Halloween costumes, hats, masks and other accessories for yourself or your family members.
With the warm October weather we’ve been experiencing, Christmas is likely to be the last thing on your mind.
But there are now around 11 weeks to go – and if you'd like to avoid one big bill in December, now is the time to start planning.
Spreading the cost over several pay packets can make the festive season far more manageable. Whether you buy a little at a time or simply set money aside, starting early gives you more control, more time to find genuine bargains, and will make January less of a struggle.
We were recently contacted by a consumer who was trying to establish whether Jersey residents are covered by Saga travel insurance policies.
The issue arose after the consumer received conflicting information from different sources within Saga. During a phone conversation with a Saga representative, they were told that Jersey residents who have a Jersey GP would not be covered under the policy.
Amazon's ‘Prime Big Deal Days’ sale runs on Tuesday, 6 and Wednesday, 7 October, offering two days of discounts for Prime members.
The sale comes seven weeks before Black Friday on 27 November, and with countdown timers on every page, it's easy to feel you need to act fast.
However, while there are genuine bargains to be had, not every deal is necessarily what it seems.
Here’s our advice, before you part with your money on an Amazon sale day:
We’ve been contacted by several Islanders in recent weeks who are still unable to obtain credit cards, despite credit reference agencies now having secure access to Islanders’ data through new data-sharing arrangements.
Since our last update in July, where we answered consumers’ questions about the new credit data-sharing arrangements, we’ve been told that Islanders are still being refused access to credit cards from providers such as American Express, John Lewis and Barclaycard.
Opinion Poll
The Jersey Consumer Council frequently asks Islanders to take part in polls on a range of topics.
Just tap on one of the options below to cast your vote and see what others think.
The Jersey Consumer Fair is back!
Don’t let Halloween turn scary: safety tips for costumes, toys and accessories
Spreading the cost of Christmas: why now is the time to start
Are Jersey residents covered by Saga travel insurance?
Amazon 'Prime Big Deal Days' – Are there genuine bargains to be found?
An update on credit cards