Shoppers go back to basics as crunch continue to bite

Hard up Brits are skimping on their supermarket shop by going back to basics, according to a new survey.

Items such as flowers, magazines, CDs and bottled water are being scrubbed off shopping lists as people take a no frills approach with their groceries following the credit crunch.

A whopping 80 per cent of those polled said they have wiped luxury items such as quilted toilet paper and candles from their weekly shop.

The poll of 4,000 shoppers for The Co-operative Bank Current Accounts reveals that the average shopper has already reined in their weekly bill by £14.53 - that's £755.56 a year - by being less extravagant.

Emma Thomas, Current Account Product Manager at The Co-operative Bank said: "People are being more conservative in their spending and are finding that cutting back on luxury items can help make a difference.

"Developing a household budget is essential to keep spending in check and to identify ways costs can be trimmed. While keeping in touch regularly with their bank account will help people to know exactly what they have to spend.

"Our Current Account Plus account can help people manage the financial peaks and troughs."

Branded washing up liquid, organic produce and branded food have also disappeared off the shopping lists as consumers economise. Whilst many folk are no longer purchasing fresh coffee, uncut bread, nail polish, fake tan lotion, or multi vitamins.

But 38 per cent of people say their families have noticed the cut backs - and quilted toilet paper is the single item that they miss the most, followed by branded food and CDs.

Nearly half of those polled have reduced the number of times they visit the supermarket, choosing to conduct one big weekly food shop rather than several smaller ones.

This increased shopping restraint has led a reduction in the average amount spent per visit to the supermarket to just £68.33, down from the £89.88 they were spending per shop last year.

Other items being knocked off the weekly shopping list include fabric conditioner, teeth whitening toothpaste, wine, desserts and napkins.

Top 20 items we no longer buy

1. Flowers
2. Magazines
3. CDs
4. Bottled water
5. Posh handwash
6. Quilted toilet paper
7. Candles
8. Branded washing up liquid
9. Organic produce
10. Branded food
11. Fresh coffee
12. Uncut bread
13. Nail polish
14. Fake tan
15. Multi vitamins
16. Fabric conditioner
17. Teeth whitening toothpaste
18. Wine
19. Desserts
20. Napkins