Tesco Meal Deals - Case study
- johngilbert6
- Aug 21
- 1 min read
Tesco Meal Deals: A Case Study in #Inflation,#Loyalty & #Consumer Perception
💔 Tesco’s meal deal price has quietly risen again — £5.50 for those with a Clubcard and £6 for those without.
On paper, it’s a slight increase. In practice, it’s become a lightning rod for frustration.
Why? Because some products aren’t just products — they’re cultural price #anchors.
Emotional benchmarks of inflation → Consumers use iconic items (meal deals, Freddos, McDonald’s cheeseburgers) as everyday measures of economic reality.
Loyalty scheme backlash → The Clubcard is now perceived less as a “reward” and more as a surcharge avoidance tool. That undermines long-term trust.
Shrinkflation & perceived manipulation → Reducing size or shifting tiers (standard vs. “premium” meal deals) creates cynicism that bleeds into how the entire brand is viewed.
When consumers feel tricked, “loyalty” programs accelerate disengagement rather than build retention. 🤕
More meal prep, less impulse buying, greater willingness to switch to discount competitors.
By blurring the line between value and premium, Tesco risks the meal deal losing its identity as an accessible, everyday staple.
⚡ Inflation is real — but how it’s communicated matters as much as the number on the shelf. Protect your cultural anchors of value, because once trust is eroded, it’s far harder to rebuild than it is to raise prices.
👀 Which other products do you think function as “cultural inflation markers” for consumers? Cheeseburger???
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