Waitrose introduces new £5.50 rule in all stores

The popular supermarket Waitrose is the latest retailer to bump up the price of a very common lunchtime staple here in the UK. It’s something consumed all over the country when those cravings hit and you haven’t had time to prepare anything.

The humble meal deal is a British classic, and most shops and supermarkets offer their own variety of combinations. However, Waitrose has increased the price of theirs, in a new blow to money-savvy shoppers. According to The Grocer, the three-piece lunch deal’s cost has risen by 10%, now priced at £5.50.

Many supermarket have been offering a meal deal to customers for years now, usually made up of a sandwich, wrap or salad, a drink and a snack.

Waitrose was fairly late to the party and only launched theirs in 2023, when it was priced at £5.

Now, for the first time, it has increased in price by 50p.

In the deal, shoppers can get all the usual meal deal favourites like club sandwiches and pasta salads, or even sushi, alongside a drink and a snack such as fruit, crisps or chocolate.

Speaking about the increase, a Waitrose spokeswoman said: “Our meal deal remains exceptional value for money – offering a wide variety of lunch options prepared with the quality ingredients you’d expect from Waitrose and following the industry-leading welfare standards we insist on.”

However, Waitrose isn’t the only supermarket to bump up the price of its meal deals recently.

Tesco also made its deal more expensive in August last year, increasing the price by 25p to £3.85 for those with a Clubcard, and £4.25 for those without, marking the third increase in three years.

Its Premium meal deal also increased to £6, or £5.50 if you have a Clubcard.

Meanwhile, Sainsbury’s meal deals also jumped in price to £3.95 last summer. That was the second time Sainsbury’s increased the price of the deal in less than a year, after increasing the price by 25p in July 2024.

What is the cheapest supermarket meal deal?

If you want to get the best value for money when it comes to meal deals, you’ll want to head to Asda. You’ll pay £3.74 for a main, snack and drink, and you don’t even need to be a loyalty member.

At Co-Op, it’s £3.75 for Co-Op members, or £4.10 without.

Morrisons’ is also priced at £3.75 for loyalty members or £4 if you’ve not signed up. Then it’s Tesco’s £3.85 Clubcard deal, followed by Sainsbury’s £3.95 standard deal.