Man discovers Tesco receipt from 1994 and leaves people in shock at the difference in prices
We all know that shopping is expensive nowadays.
But sometimes it takes a trip back to the past to appreciate how much prices have skyrocketed in recent years.
One man left Brits stunned when he discovered a Tesco receipt from 1994.
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Bearing in mind that food price inflation recently hit 3.7 percent - the highest level since last March - it’s no wonder that these 1990s prices seem so low.
Luke shared a shot of the historic receipt to Reddit, writing: “A 1994 Tesco receipt found in a library book.
“Before my time and not much to go off but 30 years old and still looking fresh.”
According to the receipt, it came from a store in Coventry and contained 34 items - a healthy weekly shop.
All in all, the total came in at an astonishing £29.29.
This included minced beef at 55p, cooking oil for 65p and a sandwich for 89p.
A copy of The Guardian newspaper was only 50p, and a pack of beef burgers was a whopping £1.39.
How times have changed, indeed.
Reddit users were left gobsmacked by the low prices and let their feelings about it been known - while secretly trying to figure out time travel, I imagine.
One wrote: “Ahh…the good old days, when you could afford to eat.”
Another commented: “It is interesting. In a nerdy way. Quite a lot of variance.
“Bananas were 39p/Ib. They’re now 90p/kg or 41p/Ib. The Guardian has gone up from 50p to £2.80, but that’s a bit more complex than just inflation.
“The cheapest Tesco sandwich is now £1.50? 89p likely at least doubled, depending on the sandwich obvs. The very cheapest veg oil is £1.85 now, compared to 65p.”
A fellow Reddit user said: “I remember [1994] well. You could work out your shopping to an average out at £1/item over the whole shop.”
So basically how a standard trip to Poundland today would work.
“How crazy, the total price is LESS than the number of items,” one stunned Redditor said. “I can’t remember the last time I had a shop like that.”
However, there were some people who wanted to draw a direct comparison to a shopping trip in the modern day.
One user said: “£29.39 in 1994 is about £60 in today’s money. I currently have 35 items in my Tesco basket and the total is £48.54.
“Depends on the specific items you buy, and maybe Clubcard offers weren’t a thing back then. I wouldn’t say I shop particularly cheap nor particularly expensive.”
Whatever the case may be, always be prepared to take out a second mortgage if you want to treat yourself to a particularly nice pack of butter.
Ben Thompson