Dean Mayhew, 34, who has a Tesco Clubcard barcode tattooed on his wrist, has revealed he can no longer shop at the supermarket, saying it has become too expensive for his family.
The scaffolder, from Bideford, north Devon, got the QR code for his card tattooed in July 2022 to avoid carrying his physical card. It worked under the scanner at the till, but with rising prices across supermarket chains due to the cost of living, he has stopped using it for his regular shopping.
Why Dean Stopped Shopping at Tesco
Dean criticised the Clubcard prices, claiming that Tesco is a rip-off and that the Clubcard is a scam. He said: "I don't even shop at Tesco anymore, they're a rip off. The Clubcard is a scam. You might get a couple of products a little bit cheaper but they're the ones no one wants anyway."
He added that even a midweek shop for a few days of food was costing around £200, and he has not done his weekly shop there for over a year. He now goes to Morrisons or Asda, which he says is a lot cheaper.
The Tattoo and Its Reactions
The tattoo was performed by artist Dan Rossetter, 39, at A Star Tattoo in Chessington, Surrey. Dean spent months debating whether to get it done before deciding. He said: "Sometimes when I go in there, the cashier doesn't believe it's real - I have to tell them 'just scan it please!' and they're shocked."
Despite his qualms, Dean occasionally uses the tattoo for a meal deal on his break at work. He said: "Every now and then I get a meal deal from Tesco. No one can complain about a meal deal, you know, £3.50 for a drink, crisps and sandwich. I use it for that. But I don't do big shops in there anymore."
Price Comparison and No Regrets
Research by Which? analysed the prices of 93 popular branded and own-brand groceries at eight of the UK's biggest supermarkets throughout September. It found that Asda was cheaper for a family's weekly shop than Tesco, with the bill at Asda coming to £186.71, while Tesco's came to £193.45. However, Tesco's weekly shop came down to £187.71 through the use of a Clubcard.
Dean added: "The Clubcard deals don't save anybody any money. They just get rid of the stuff people don't want." Despite no longer shopping at Tesco, he insists he has no regrets about the unconventional tattoo, saying "it's a conversation starter and just a laugh."
