Forget Supermarket Classics: Find Same Products for Three Times Less Here!

Supermarkets each have their own promotions and loyalty cards. Yet, even when taking advantage of these deals, there’s still a lingering feeling: the everyday small items that we toss into our basket without thinking too much about them add up significantly on the final bill. Nevertheless, a tip shared on social media might just tip the scales in your favor.

On TikTok, a content creator known as @thefinancegurl has captured the attention of thousands by demonstrating how it’s possible to pay much less for the exact same product in the same store. Her video, viewed over 25,000 times, has sparked hundreds of comments from surprised customers who regret not realizing this sooner. “Here’s a super simple money-saving trick that you can apply in most supermarkets,” she explains. The feedback was immediate: “Oh wow, I love it! I had never heard about this before, thanks for sharing,” one user exclaimed. Others thanked her for revealing what they consider a “new habit to adopt.” Shoppers who tried it reported noticing the savings from their very first receipt. The tip has even been shared by the British consumer protection organization Which?, which sees it as a strategy that can be applied to many other products.

The trick in question? Buying your spices and condiments in the international foods aisle rather than the regular spice aisle. For instance, at Carrefour, the store-brand curry powder sold in a 42-gram bottle is priced at 13.57 euros per kilo. Just a few meters away, curry in the “international cuisine” section is sold for 11.90 euros per kilo. The case of ginger is even more striking. In the regular aisle, Carrefour’s ground ginger costs 47.78 euros per kilo, whereas in the exotic products section, a one-kilo bag costs just 17.59 euros. The same spice, three times cheaper, simply because it is packaged differently and placed in a different location.

The reason is straightforward: products in the “regular” aisles are targeted at a broad audience who buys in small quantities and prioritizes convenience. The “international cuisine” aisles cater to customers who cook more or prepare traditional recipes that require more seasoning. Hence, they offer larger packaging, better prices per kilo, and, ultimately, real savings for anyone who takes the time to compare.