Six apps to cut your groceries bill
The humble egg became a symbol of economic hardship when Donald Trump’s press secretary blamed Joe Biden for US egg prices skyrocketing during his presidency. Inflation, in many ways, contributed to Biden’s downfall and the defeat of the Democrats.
This side of the Atlantic, the UK has been facing its own cost of living crisis . Inflation is a key measure for the Bank of England when it sets interest rates, affecting everything from mortgage payments to grocery bills.
When Liz Truss was briefly prime minister in October 2022, a head of iceberg lettuce cost just 59p. Fast-forward to 2025, and that same lettuce costs 72p.
The drastic increase in the price of a lettuce and just about every other food staple can be attributed to several factors.
Energy bills have increased, making it more expensive to keep supermarket lights on and trucks running. Energy ranks as the fourth-largest in-store operating expense for major UK shops, with an average annual bill of £400,000 per store.
Read more: UK inflation jumps more than expected to 3% in January
Fuel and transport costs mean even basic items like milk and bread now come with a higher price tag.
Supply chain issues, caused by Brexit and global conflicts, have impacted the import and export of food.
The trend known as shrinkflation means your favourite chocolate bar may well be much smaller than it used to be, though the price has remained the same. That’s because brands are subtly reducing portion sizes while keeping costs the same, so the consumer is paying more for less.
Best app for the adventurous shopper: Too Good To Go
Too Good To Go is ideal for shoppers who value a great deal and enjoy a little surprise in their shopping cart. It partners with bakeries, supermarkets and restaurants to sell “surprise bags” of food that would have been wasted otherwise.
Users can download the app for free and don't need to pay a subscription fee. They can reserve and pay for their surprise bag through the app, then pick it up at the designated collection time.
The items are often discounted by at least 50%, helping to reduce your grocery bill while also minimising food waste.
Too Good To Go initially launched in Denmark in 2016, but now operates in 19 countries and has over 100 million users.
Best app for the civic-minded shopper: Olio
Another app that is working to reduce food waste is Olio, though it centres around a community-based approach.
You’ve probably had occasions where you thought you’d cook a meal at home but ended up eating out with friends instead. Olio helps ensure that those unused ingredients are still put to good use.
It connects you with neighbours to receive and give discounted or free groceries to others in your area, whether that’s fresh fruit and veggies or unopened pantry items.
Not only does it provide an alternative to shopping in-store, it’s a great way to connect with your local community.
Best apps for cashback shopping: Shopmium and JamDoughnut
If you’re not into clipping coupons but still love a good discount, Shopmium makes saving easier.
Shopmium offers cash back on specific grocery items; you just buy them, scan your receipt, and get money back. It’s an effortless way to save on everyday essentials, and the cashback goes straight to your account.
Launched in 2011, it has amassed over 5 million users, is free to download and has no subscription fee.
A similar UK-based platform is JamDoughnut, which offers users instant cash-back by purchasing digital gift cards from popular shops like Tesco ( TSCO.L ) and Sainsbury’s ( SBRY.L ).
As of December 2024, the app has 250,000 users and processes over 10,000 transactions daily. JamDoughnut is free to download and use.
After creating an account, users can browse retailers on the app and choose the gift card value.
Read more: UK’s best and worst supermarkets revealed
Unlike other gift cards, you get instant cash-back after making the purchase. You can use this digital gift card either online or in-store.
Best apps for price-comparisons: Trolley.co.uk and Basket
Another way to ensure you’re getting the best bang for your buck is by using an app like Trolley.co.uk, which allows you to compare prices across shops like Aldi, Tesco and Sainsbury’s to get the item you're after at its lowest price.
Users can save a list of weekly shopping items within the app and reuse it over and over again. The app also includes a barcode scanning feature, which helps find the best prices in real-time while shopping.
It launched in 2021 and helps close to a million shoppers save on their grocery shopping. Trolley.co.uk says it aims to help users save up to 30% on their weekly grocery shop.
Launched in December 2015, Basket is another price-comparison app that helps shoppers track price changes and find the best deals. Not only does it provide an alternative to shopping in-store, it’s a great way to connect with your local community.
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Apple and Android .