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Why is corned beef so expensive these days?

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My gripe is all about the current price of corned beef.  It's no longer a cheap alternative to nice ham or chicken, ideal for sandwiches and the odd hot pot meal.  It's actually more of a luxury these days in my opinion.  I haven't bought corned beef for a while and I thought it would make a nice change.  I vaguely remember a few years ago in our supermarket they were selling one of the cheaper brands for around 89p a tin and some of the shops more recently were selling it at £1.20 and £1.50 for a tin.

I visited the Sainsbury's website yesterday and I was doing my monthly shopping in their groceries section section.  I typed 'corned beef' into the search box and when the results came up on the screen I could not believe my eyes.

For 3 measly slices of Sainsbury's fresh corned beef 125 grams the price was a whopping £2.00!  I assumed that the tinned corned beef would be much cheaper, but it was still £2.29 for 340 grams.  How can they justify charging so much for a tin of processed beef?  I would have thought that the most a tin should cost would be around £1.80, and the most I would consider paying for 3 slices of fresh packed premium corned beef would be is £1.40 or £1.50.

A tin of corned beef at a Tesco supermarket Corned Beef - only bought as an occasional treat

As I said, it is so expensive now I can see it only being bought as an occasional treat, not something I would buy all the time because it is too dear for what it is.  I can imagine the price will go up even more in the future, after all the price of everything else is going up though the roof right now.  Presumably as people (like myself) stop buying it making it even more expensive.  What have things come to when you can't get a tin of corned beef for under £2 - it's a joke!

Note from Site Admin: When I was out shopping I took some photos to go with this gripe and as you can these tins are a little cheaper in our Tesco, in fact the value brand £1.98 I believe.

By: Luke S


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Liam Richards

Liam Richards

@Shakespear, discovered ChatGPT then?
24/08 Liam Richards
0
Shakespeare

Shakespeare

O wretched times! What folly hath befallen
This humble feast once graced with hearty fare?
In yesteryears, when markets sang with cheer,
A pot of corned beef was but a pittance,
A treasure fit for kings, yet now, alas!

What cost hath risen, like the morning sun,
To plague my purse with such unholy weight?
This slab of salted meat, a nectar rare,
Doth mock my dreams with prices steep as fate.
Three pound, nay, four? My wallet doth tremble,
More precious than gold, this brined delight!

Once gathered ‘round our tables, friends and kin,
With laughter spilling forth like fine, sweet wine,
Now distant echoes haunt the empty chair
As memories of feasts fade like the day.
O, cruel inflation, thy hand is heavy,
As I lament this loss of simpler times.

Think’st thou, dear child, of value measured rightly?
What madness grips this realm, where all is bought,
Yet none can savor joy from simple things?
I wander aisles, bewitched by price tags’ glare,
While visions of a joyful supper fade.

So here I stand, an ancient bard lamenting,
For in my heart, the yearning still remains,
To feast upon that corned beef, rich and tender,
Yet find myself enshrined in endless pains.

Bring forth the days where meat was kingly served,
Where frugal hearts could dine without despair!
I seek not grand repast or lavish spread,
Just one good slice to warm the soul’s cold night.

Oh, let me feast, I pray, upon this prize,
Or grant me wings to soar beyond this plight!
For corned beef’s worth its weight in love, I swear,
Yet, burdened by the gold, I may not dare.
27/07 Shakespeare
-8
StavrosTheBoss

StavrosTheBoss

It's getting much worse!! £3.60 now!!! For 200g tinned stuff.. Absolutely ridiculous prices for what was the cheapest meat back in the day. It brought back memories to read your message and I thought I'd really like a corned beef and spring onion sandwich but after seeing the prices I don't think I'll bother...
25/02 StavrosTheBoss
0
Gav grif

Gav grif

Our local shop is selling a tin for £4.75p
17/02 Gav grif
0
It was Captain Kaos

It was Captain Kaos

Yes I Agree and not so long ago as the 1960s (to be honest was a child) but I do remember Corned beef being the Cheapest Meat Slices in plastic packetsin the 1980s - 2005 Roughly.

Now it is dearer per Ounze Then Top side , Silver Side well any meat Cut Slice including Ham . It has gradually creeper up in £Price Each year and still is. I will admit iCorned Beef and Tomato for me make the best sandwiches but I've noticed there is more water retention Nowadays in the 2020s!
11/02 It was Captain Kaos
1
bassa

bassa

I used to buy corned beef at around 75 to 89 pence now they are charging over two pounds a tin they can stuff it where the sun doesnt shine I hope that people will boycott it and it rots on the shelves because all the time people are prepared to pay these inflated prices nothing will be done
08/09/23 bassa
-1
Scepptic

Scepptic

Sainsburys local £3.60 for 340gm. An increase of 57% in 3 months. Sainsburys on line for same product £3.00. Who says there is not profiteering!
04/07/23 Scepptic
0
PompeyIndian

PompeyIndian

ASDA Essentials tin of corned beef if the best value @ 1.90 which is for my G.S.D. for his little extra tea treat 2 tins cubed up last 2 weeks. what amazes me with the tins why Health & Safety have not got involved with the terrible way we have to open them everybody I know over many years have all been cut by the tins some even badly + keys not fixed in on the tin sometimes, + must keep the tins in the fridge for at least over night so the meat is easy to cut into slices for me or cubes for my GSD as when it's room temperature you can't cut it or slice it it just crumbles...
25/04/23 PompeyIndian
1
Rikgear

Rikgear

Just in coop in rugby today, saw the expensive pre sliced stuff in the chiller and thought, I quite fancy some corned beef sandwich for lunch and if I get a tin could use the leftover in some hash with for tea. 200g tin was £2.60! That's getting on for steak prices that is!
17/03/23 Rikgear
0
Corny Beef

Corny Beef

Our COOP sells these packs of corned beef with 4 slices - probably only enough for a couple of sandwiches really for £3.50. I was lamenting the cheap hot pot meal I used to make the other day, just with corned beef potatoes and onion plus a stock cube. Used to be a cheap dinner but not any more.

Anyway, following day I walked into said COOP and found 3 of these expensive packs of corned beef reduced to 35p - naturally I had them all.
24/09/22 Corny Beef
2
Madness

Madness

Corned beef princes 340grm tin in Iceland food stores was £2.50 2wks ago now £3.20
24/09/22 Madness
1
Poor Me

Poor Me

I can't remember the last time I actually bought corned beef. It used to be a cheap thing, now it's premium and it's only going to get more expensive. Why???
28/08/22 Poor Me
2
Wolfie Smith

Wolfie Smith

Sainsbury are still around £2 a can and Asda are £2.30 I think. Everywhere else it's £3.50.
28/08/22 Wolfie Smith
1
StuLP

StuLP

Just been to Tesco and for a 340g tin of Princes corned beef...£3.50 !!!!!!!
01/08/22 StuLP
3
Cookie

Cookie

Went to Lidl today(13/06/2022) and their £1.99 canned corned beef was out of stock.
Over the road to morrisons daily and their offering at £2.75 was also out off stock.
Last shop on the highstreet(premier) was £3.49 a can for the princes pictured above.
I really want corned beef hash today so suck it up.
Imagine my shock at the till when it rings up at £5.35 a can?
Screw that. I paid the £3.49 price as per the shelf label and the assistant went and removed the label ready to price at £5.35 but damn...what were those cows fed on? Gold flakes and diamond chippings?
13/06/22 Cookie
1

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