Sainsbury's has increased the price of its lunchtime meal deal to £3.95, marking the second rise in under a year. The 20p increase, a 5 per cent jump, has sparked outrage among customers, with some joking that 'we are in the end times'. The deal had been priced at £3 since at least 2014 before rising to £3.50 in May 2021 and then £3.75 in July last year.
The meal deal includes a main item such as a sandwich, wrap or salad; a snack like crisps or a chocolate bar; and a drink such as a Coca-Cola or Innocent smoothie. Sainsbury's claims there are over 150 mains, 300 snacks and 400 drinks available, offering millions of possible combinations and potential savings of up to half the usual price.
Shoppers took to social media to express their frustration. One tweeted: 'This is not a drill - Sainsbury's meal deals have been upped again and are £3.95 - it was £3.75 before today.' Another wrote: 'Sainsbury's meal deal gone up to £3.90, we are in the end times.' A third said: 'Why TF was my Sainsbury's meal deal £3.95 - should we all just give up?'
The price rise means Sainsbury's deal is now 35p more than Tesco's cheapest version, which costs £3.60 for Clubcard holders or £4.00 for others. Unlike Tesco, Sainsbury's offers no discount for Nectar card holders. However, Sainsbury's premium meal deal, launched in 2022 at £5, remains unchanged.
A Sainsbury's spokeswoman defended the increase, stating: 'With millions of possible combinations, we continue to offer one of the best value meal deals around.' She highlighted the introduction of new products, including a 'build your own' salad option and the Picnic Triple Sandwich, as well as new snacks like Krispy Kreme doughnuts and non-alcoholic beer.
Comparatively, Co-Op's meal deal is £4 (£3.50 for members), Morrisons charges £4, Waitrose £5, and Asda offers three items for the price of two. Boots charges £3.99 (£3.60 with Advantage card) in most of the UK, but prices rise to £4.99 in London and at airports.
