- yesterday
In this brand-new programme, Joe Swash investigates the meal deal phenomenon to find the most surprising revelations about this uniquely British consumer obsession.
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Short filmTranscript
00:00Lunchtime! Lunchtime!
00:03Ah, the meal deal!
00:05It's a great British lunchtime obsession.
00:07Yo, I get this smoothie for £2.80 and two other items! Come on now!
00:14Last year we spent £6.2 billion on meal deals.
00:18That means we ate roughly £5 million every day.
00:22The sandwiches alone, if you laid them end to end, would go round the moon three times.
00:27Wow.
00:28I want to find out whether meal deals could be good for your pocket.
00:31Go and find me the best meal deal money can get!
00:34And for your health.
00:35Having £200 or £300 at lunch just isn't going to cut it.
00:38And what your favourite combinations are.
00:40Oof.
00:41The meal deal is lit.
00:43Wait for it. Soup in the meal deal.
00:46Who's going for that?
00:47As I get inside the supermarkets, see how new meal deals are made,
00:52I'm learning here as well, Lucy.
00:54And discover the future.
00:56Oh wow.
00:58To find out what is behind the bargain.
01:01How about that?
01:02Stop it!
01:03Stop it!
01:04Stop it!
01:05Stop it!
01:06Stop it!
01:07Stop it!
01:08Stop it!
01:09Stop it!
01:10Stop it!
01:11Stop it!
01:12Stop it!
01:13Stop it!
01:14Stop it!
01:15Stop it!
01:16Stop it!
01:17Like most of you's lot, a meal deal represents two things that I love most.
01:20Eating and getting a bargain.
01:22and getting a bargain.
01:24You may think me and my beautiful missus
01:26live a life of glitz and glamour,
01:28but really, me and Stacey love nothing more
01:30than sitting on a sofa
01:31and debating the big subjects in life,
01:33like, what are we here for?
01:35Where's the meaning in life?
01:37And which snack is going to get you
01:38the most savings on your meal deal?
01:43Can we talk meal deals?
01:45Because that's one of the greatest inventions ever.
01:47When you think of the UK,
01:48three icons come to mind.
01:50Isaac Newton, Mr. Tumble,
01:51and most notably, the meal deal.
01:53I have been in England for almost three years now,
01:56and one thing I am still so obsessed with
01:58are Tusco meal deals.
01:59Why does no one else ever get the cheddar palmer?
02:01To me, this is the best sandwich ever.
02:04I feel like I'm eating at, like, a five-star restaurant
02:06when I have some of these meal deals.
02:08I eat them so often, like,
02:10can't live without them, really.
02:11And he's not alone.
02:13Sales have gone from 0 to 6.2 billion pounds worth
02:16in just 25 years.
02:18But we don't just like buying them.
02:20We love rating each other's two.
02:23Mine is a ham and cheese sandwich,
02:25really salty crisp, and a Coke.
02:27Ten out of ten, right?
02:29But I'm going to find out if we're getting a good deal
02:31and why we're all so obsessed with it.
02:34The meal deal is British tapas.
02:44You select your different elements of your lunch
02:47and you take them back to the office
02:49and proudly display them for all.
02:54It's a conversation starter.
02:56It's small talk, like, what's your meal deal?
02:58Look at the weather.
02:59That's what we do.
03:00It's an iconic British tradition.
03:03Last year, we sold over 250 million meal deals.
03:07So the sandwiches alone, if you laid them end to end,
03:10would go around the moon three times.
03:13We're all just trying to get by.
03:16Everyone's core costs are increasing.
03:19So if you can limit your spend for a lunch meal deal
03:22at five pounds, then we're happy.
03:24Before, it used to be just about the sandwich, the main,
03:28but now we can get salads, sushi, even hot food.
03:33My favourite one at the moment is bacon, brie, chilli jam,
03:38sea salt, chardonnay, vinegar, crisps.
03:41I'm getting them in and crunching them all together
03:44and washing it down with a bottle of water.
03:47You're treating yourself and you're getting a huge saving
03:49at the same time.
03:50What's not to like?
03:51Good choice, Nicole.
03:52How would yous lot rate that?
03:54To find out your favourite main snack and drink,
04:03we've commissioned a UK-wide poll,
04:05and I'll be revealing that later.
04:08But first, we asked what the main reason was
04:11for you to buy a meal deal.
04:12Even though some prices have gone up recently,
04:15one in five said it's because they thought
04:17they were getting great value.
04:18I think the most important thing about a meal deal
04:21is the price.
04:22If you're going to a restaurant or a cafe,
04:25you're going to pay £7, £9 something,
04:27but you get a good meal deal,
04:29you get it under the fibre,
04:30which is a good deal.
04:31Compared to other things that I can find around campus,
04:33going to the Sainsbury's and buying a meal deal
04:36does seem like the best option.
04:38Me and my mate, we go out once a week.
04:41With our passes, it doesn't cost us nothing,
04:43so we try and eat cheap.
04:45Meal deals are fantastic,
04:49but put them back to £3.
04:54But how much are we saving in our meal deals?
04:57And what are the mistakes to avoid
04:59when grabbing yourself the biggest bargain?
05:01That's what I want to find out next.
05:03I'm here in the heart of media city, Salford,
05:11and just like every other place up and down the UK,
05:14lunchtime is a mad dash to the local supermarket
05:16to find yourself a meal deal.
05:18And that's why I'm here with me stopwatch
05:20and me whistle.
05:22Let's go!
05:23I've challenged three meal deal superfans,
05:28Gideon,
05:31Chloe,
05:35and Ruby,
05:37to buy the £4 meal deal that this supermarket offers
05:44and see how much of a saving they can make.
05:47Hello, everyone.
05:48How are you?
05:49And to get some expert financial advice,
05:51I brought along money-saving influencer,
05:54Chloe Carmichael.
05:55This is how you can save money at Aldi
05:57every single time you do your shopping.
05:59Find an app that's going to give me £5
06:01no matter what I spend today.
06:03I've got a new Morrison's code for you
06:05which works for everyone.
06:07Now, Chloe, we all love a meal deal,
06:08but what we want to know is,
06:10where is the real deal?
06:11So the great thing about meal deals
06:12is that no matter which items you pick,
06:14you're always going to make a saving.
06:16But some actually have a bigger saving than others,
06:18and that is what we're going to be testing today.
06:21Let's get quicker, lad.
06:21Come on, you lot.
06:24Go and find me the best meal deal money can get.
06:30Apparently, we spend on average 20 seconds
06:32choosing each item.
06:34Are you ready?
06:36Are you steady?
06:38So Chloe has given them one minute
06:40to grab their free course bargain.
06:42The winner will be the one
06:43who finds the highest-priced items
06:45included in the deal.
06:46So as an expert,
06:48how would you approach this?
06:49So I would be looking for the most expensive items.
06:52Which are?
06:53For your drinks,
06:54it would be coffee,
06:55Red Bull,
06:55or an innocent smoothie.
06:58Damages,
06:58the wraps or the rolls
07:00seem to be the most expensive.
07:02Right.
07:02And snacks,
07:03probably the goo cheesecakes,
07:05the chip and dips,
07:06or there's also a pasta you can get as well.
07:09So how much can they save
07:10if they make the right choices?
07:12It could be upwards of about three pounds,
07:14maybe even four pounds.
07:15Wow, that's a massive difference.
07:16It is.
07:17Especially when you're making that saving
07:18every single day when you're buying your lunch,
07:19it very quickly adds up.
07:20At the end of the week,
07:21that's like 17 pounds you're saving.
07:23It is.
07:23It's big.
07:24Hopefully my maths was good there.
07:26Yeah.
07:26Was it all right?
07:27The maths good?
07:28And when you're making these small everyday savings,
07:30it really adds up over the month
07:32and even the year as well.
07:33Yeah,
07:33I'll leave you to do the math for that.
07:37Three,
07:38two,
07:39one.
07:40Well done,
07:41gang.
07:42Before we find out
07:45what our three super fans chose,
07:47at Britain's five bigger supermarkets
07:49before any loyalty card discount,
07:52a meal deal will cost you
07:53four pounds at Morrison's,
07:55it's four pounds at Tesco,
07:57and at Sainsbury's,
07:58it's 3.75,
07:59currently the cheapest fixed price deal.
08:03As do Rinaldi,
08:03both have a three for two offer on theirs.
08:06But to get the bigger saving,
08:08Waitrose currently have
08:10an 11 pounds,
08:1015 pence combo,
08:12that's all yours for a fiver.
08:14If you look at how supermarkets
08:16present the price,
08:17they show you the meal deal price,
08:20which might be four pounds,
08:21but then they show you the price
08:22of the drink right next to it.
08:24Suddenly now,
08:25well,
08:25if the drink is 250,
08:26I don't even know
08:27what the other things cost.
08:29So we get the dopamine hit
08:30of getting a good deal.
08:33It's associated
08:34when we feel pleasurable things
08:36and we want to do
08:38more pleasurable things.
08:39And we think that it's our choices
08:41that makes a better deal.
08:43Suddenly now,
08:44we're Martin Lewis
08:45and Warren Buffett.
08:46My dream meal deal
08:49is the classic tuna and sweet corn,
08:52salt and vinegar crisps,
08:54Diet Coke.
08:55That's my kind of combo, Mike.
08:59But how did our three meal deal super fans
09:02get on at the co-op
09:03with their four-pound combo?
09:05Right, you lot.
09:06We know that you've saved some money
09:08with your meal deals,
09:09but what I really want to know,
09:10Chloe,
09:10is who saved the most money?
09:12I'm impressed with all of your choices.
09:14So starting off with yours, Ruby.
09:20Ruby's might be high in protein,
09:22but it's also high in sugar,
09:24with the energy drink
09:25nearly twice the recommended daily limit.
09:28You picked the most expensive drink.
09:30Well done with that.
09:32But I think what maybe
09:34might have let you down
09:34could be the snack.
09:36I can kind of justify the snack,
09:38even though it's not ideal.
09:39I was looking at the size of it
09:40and it's like,
09:40to me,
09:41a sausage roll class is a main.
09:42So I'm thinking,
09:43in terms of value,
09:44you're getting two mains
09:45for the meal deal prize.
09:46Well, we'll find out
09:47if it's the one
09:47that's going to save you
09:48the money soon.
09:49This is Gideon.
09:50Yeah.
09:55As well as often
09:56being more costly,
09:58wraps now account
09:59for one in ten sandwiches sold.
10:01I like your choice.
10:02With the cheesecake.
10:03I think that was one
10:03of the most expensive snacks.
10:05But...
10:05I know.
10:06Don't.
10:06Size difference.
10:07Don't.
10:08Because when I was running,
10:10I literally felt like Boris Gump.
10:12And I was searching
10:14for that one.
10:16And I'm so annoyed
10:17I was looking the wrong way.
10:18But I am confident
10:19in the pudding.
10:20And finally, Chloe.
10:26Back in 2012,
10:28Innocent introduced
10:29the new size smoothie
10:30just to be part
10:31of the meal deal craze.
10:33You had some excellent
10:34picks here.
10:35The smoothie was definitely
10:36my favourite that you picked.
10:37It's worth £2.75.
10:38So one of the most expensive
10:40ones you could have got.
10:41I feel like everyone knows
10:42the smoothies are like
10:43the bargain.
10:44Wait, where is that?
10:45But I feel like
10:45the granola pot
10:46is going to...
10:47might make me win this.
10:49The biggest saving
10:49at the co-op today
10:50would have been £4.60.
10:53But which of our three
10:54did the best?
10:59So in third place,
11:02we have Gideon.
11:04In total, your meal deal
11:06came to £7.65,
11:08which is a total saving
11:09of £3.65.
11:11I think the problem is
11:12the size of your drink
11:14let you down.
11:15Yeah, size really does matter.
11:19And in second place,
11:21we have...
11:22Chloe.
11:25In total, your meal deal
11:28came to £7.75,
11:30which is a saving
11:31of £3.75,
11:32which means in first place
11:34we have Ruby.
11:36Well done.
11:37So yours came to £8,
11:40which was a total saving
11:41of £4,
11:42which is half price.
11:43That's crazy.
11:43Well done.
11:44So win.
11:45So Ruby, you are the winner
11:46and here you have
11:47the savings you would have made
11:49in pennies.
11:49I love that.
11:50Put that in your pocket.
11:52Well done.
11:53I mean...
11:53Well done, Ruby.
11:56Honest.
11:58But I suppose,
11:59there are other savings
12:00that you can make
12:00in the meal deals
12:01and there are little tips
12:02that you can use
12:03along the way.
12:03So the first one
12:04would be to make sure
12:05that you have
12:05a supermarket loyalty card
12:07because you can often
12:08unlock discounts
12:08just by having them
12:09so it's actually worth
12:10having them
12:11for all of the supermarkets
12:12because even if you're
12:13just popping in
12:14for a quick meal deal
12:15like this,
12:15you can be saving
12:16£50p, for example.
12:18Now, my personal favourite,
12:19money-saving hack
12:20at the minute
12:20is cashback gift cards.
12:22There's lots of
12:23different free apps
12:23out there
12:24where you can go on
12:25and buy a gift card
12:26for your groceries
12:27or for loads of other
12:28shops as well
12:29and you'll get
12:29a percentage value back.
12:31So every time
12:32you're spending
12:32you're going to be
12:33earning a bit of cashback
12:34which is going to
12:35reduce your overall shopping.
12:37Step one,
12:38choose a reputable
12:38cashback app
12:39and buy a gift card
12:40from them
12:41for your favourite
12:42supermarket.
12:43Step two,
12:44use that gift card
12:45to pay for your meal deal
12:46or any other shopping.
12:48Step three,
12:49wait for the cashback app
12:50to give you
12:51their chosen percentage back.
12:53Over a period of time
12:55your meal deal
12:56is going to be
12:56pretty much
12:57cost you nothing.
12:58Yep.
12:59Oh my God,
12:59there we go guys.
13:01Free meal deals
13:02are on me.
13:04Supermarkets
13:05are constantly
13:05adding new options
13:06to the meal deal
13:07so it's always
13:08worth checking.
13:09The very latest
13:10to be included
13:10is this bad boy.
13:12coming up
13:16the hero
13:17who invented
13:18the supermarket
13:19Sarni
13:19everyone came to me
13:20and said
13:21this will never work
13:22and I discover
13:23how many combinations
13:24of meal deal
13:25are on the market.
13:26I'm looking into
13:39how the supermarket
13:40meal deal
13:41has become
13:41such an important
13:42part of British life
13:44but one thing
13:45I can't get my head around
13:46is why there are
13:47so many options.
13:50We make
13:5030,000 decisions
13:52every day
13:52so 15,000 decisions
13:54by the time
13:54we get to the supermarket
13:56at lunchtime
13:56we've already made.
13:57So when we are
13:58just given abundance
13:59of choices
14:00it's almost like
14:01computer says no.
14:02Is that sandwich
14:03better than that one?
14:04Is that snack
14:04better than that one?
14:05It's just too much
14:06mental effort
14:07so that's why
14:08in some cases
14:09we just fall into
14:10the trap
14:10of just buying
14:11the same thing
14:11again and again.
14:13And I'm definitely
14:13one of those.
14:14According to our poll
14:15that's true
14:16of one in seven of us.
14:18But 22% of you guys
14:20go on the meal deal
14:21safari adventure
14:22every time
14:22you go for lunch.
14:24What am I going to get?
14:25I'll tell you what
14:26I'm going to go
14:27for my trusty
14:27almond cheese sandwich.
14:30But for you's lot
14:30people's choices
14:31have become
14:32a national obsession.
14:35To find out
14:36just how many
14:37combinations there are
14:38I wanted to speak
14:39to the one woman
14:40who buys more meal deals
14:42than any other person
14:43on the planet.
14:44You must be Emma.
14:45She's not just
14:45any old super fan
14:46this is her actual job.
14:48I can see quite a wide
14:50variety of combinations.
14:51How vast are
14:53the combinations
14:54of meal deals?
14:55So at Tesco
14:56we have over
14:5620 million combinations
14:58of meal deals.
14:59Wait, hold up a minute.
15:00You have 20 million
15:02combinations?
15:03That's right.
15:03Yeah, so across
15:04the mains,
15:05the snacks
15:05and the drinks.
15:06So in this store
15:07we have a very big range.
15:08Obviously in some
15:09of our smaller stores
15:09it'll be a smaller range.
15:11You sold 250 million
15:12meal deals last year.
15:14That's right.
15:15What is that on a day?
15:15That is...
15:16So that's about
15:17eight every second.
15:18That's insane.
15:19It just goes to show
15:20how big the meal deal is.
15:21It's a huge thing.
15:22It's huge.
15:23I think there's just
15:24something for everyone
15:25whether you're looking
15:25for a healthy option,
15:27a more filling option,
15:28a treat.
15:28I mean, you've done
15:30more than cover it.
15:31You've got 20 million
15:32different combinations.
15:32So if anyone moans
15:34then I think it's
15:35their own fault.
15:3720 million?
15:38Mind blown.
15:41So why do supermarkets
15:42give us so many options?
15:45It's called
15:45the paradox of choice.
15:47Consumers will say
15:48that we like more decisions.
15:49We don't.
15:50We like less decisions.
15:51But when we make
15:53things ourselves
15:54we value them more.
15:56It's what a psychologist
15:57called the IKEA effect.
15:59And what IKEA
16:00have understood is
16:01the table that you
16:02make yourself
16:03you place much
16:04higher value on
16:05than a table
16:06that someone else
16:06has built.
16:08That's the power
16:08of the meal deal.
16:15It's hard to imagine now
16:17but there was a time
16:18when there was no such
16:19thing as a meal deal.
16:21There was even a time
16:22when you couldn't even
16:23buy an off-the-shelf sarny
16:25because that wasn't
16:26even a thing
16:26until a sandwich hero
16:28came along in 1982.
16:31Before Mark
16:32and Spencer's food scientist
16:33Alan Spake
16:34changed the sandwich world
16:35the ones we used
16:37to buy in supermarkets
16:38were made by staff
16:39in their own cuffs.
16:40But the quality
16:41was patchy at best.
16:42All of the ingredients
16:43were taken off
16:46the sales floor.
16:47That included the bread.
16:48It wasn't a special bread
16:49made for sandwiches.
16:51When the customer
16:52got the sandwiches
16:53there were lots
16:53of problems with them.
16:54Often the bread
16:55had a large hole in it.
16:57You know,
16:57there's a prawn
16:57gaping through it
16:58or it had what
16:59they call a handbag
17:01where the crust
17:02of the bread
17:03had actually come away.
17:04When the staff
17:05noticed that
17:06it would be rejected
17:06so it's quite high waste.
17:08So the young scientist
17:09was asked by his boss
17:11to come up with a way
17:12to make a more
17:13consistent sandwich
17:14that could be rolled out
17:15across all their stores.
17:17Everyone came to me
17:17and said
17:18this will never work.
17:19Although I was
17:20terribly inexperienced.
17:21I tried to deconstruct
17:23the sandwich
17:24so I had to get
17:25Canadian flour
17:26which has got
17:27a higher protein content
17:29so that tightened
17:30the whole loaf up.
17:32I had to use
17:32a lidded tin.
17:34Baking bread
17:35with a lid
17:35meant each loaf
17:36became a perfect square.
17:38In one stroke
17:39Alan had created
17:40a stronger new product
17:41that could be distributed
17:43across the country.
17:44We'd created
17:45a commercial
17:45triangular sandwich.
17:47It shows the filling
17:48off to its maximum.
17:50My bread
17:50engineering
17:51gave me
17:52a four day window
17:53and still eating
17:55as if it was fresh
17:56and I think
17:57that changed
17:58our eating culture.
18:00And for that
18:01the nation
18:02is grateful
18:02to you sir.
18:04So it was M&S
18:05in the early 80s
18:06who invented
18:07the supermarket sandwich
18:08but can you guess
18:10who in 1999
18:11was the very first
18:13to offer
18:13the meal deal
18:14combination.
18:20so the magic meal deal
18:26formula
18:26was really all
18:27about the lunch bag
18:28and brilliantly
18:31illustrated on the bag
18:33it's all about simplicity
18:34so you know exactly
18:35how much it's going to be
18:37and the choice
18:38was one sandwich
18:39a fizzy drink
18:40and a packet of crisps
18:41to create a complete
18:42lunchtime offer.
18:44It was all about simplicity.
18:45It was about
18:46an always on
18:47value offer
18:48that people understood
18:49that they had
18:50three different choices
18:51that they could make
18:52and that it would be
18:53a set price.
18:54The beauty of it
18:55I don't know
18:56it feels almost like
18:57somebody else is paying
18:57for your lunch
18:58that you can effectively
18:59go buy
19:00what you want
19:01rather than having
19:02to check the price
19:03of something
19:04so it feels like
19:05a little gift.
19:09It was actually
19:10a genius move
19:11of theirs
19:12to combine
19:13a number of different
19:15individual products
19:16for lunch
19:17at a really competitive
19:19price point
19:19that meant
19:20that they became
19:21the food to go
19:22destination
19:22on our high street.
19:24I remember
19:24when I was younger
19:25I would literally
19:27live on Boots
19:28meal deals.
19:29I really liked
19:31the hoisin duck wrap
19:33I would probably
19:34go for
19:35prawn cocktail crisps
19:36and a soft drink.
19:38I like a little bit
19:39of variety in there
19:40if I can.
19:42That's a lot of
19:43flavour Maya.
19:44The limited options
19:45on that first
19:46£2.50 menu
19:48is a far cry
19:48from the £20 million
19:49now on offer.
19:57Fast forward
19:5825 years
19:59and on average
19:59every consumer
20:00in the UK
20:01is buying nearly
20:02one and a half
20:03every week.
20:04Apparently it's crazy
20:05that I've lived
20:06in the UK
20:06for over four months
20:07and I've never
20:08tried a meal deal
20:09before.
20:09Well, today my friends
20:10all of that changes.
20:12We've got to make
20:13sure we do this right
20:14so I can get a main,
20:15a snack
20:15and a drink.
20:17I do a lot
20:18of travelling
20:19and there's no need
20:20to do it abroad
20:21because things are
20:22just much cheaper
20:22in general.
20:23You go to Italy
20:24the cost of a coffee
20:25is one euro
20:25and you can grab
20:26a quick forget
20:27for three euros.
20:28So I'd say
20:28that the meal deal
20:29you could argue
20:29almost brings it back
20:30to what's on par
20:31with Europe.
20:32So the price point
20:33might be surprisingly
20:34low over here
20:35but our expectations
20:36are anything but.
20:38Supermarkets
20:38are constantly
20:39having to find
20:40new ways
20:40to get you customers
20:42to choose them.
20:43And that's especially
20:44true when it comes
20:45to the heart
20:45of the meal deal,
20:46the sandwich.
20:47So I've come here
20:48to meet the product
20:49development team
20:50at the co-op
20:50to see the lengths
20:51they go to
20:52to get it right.
20:53We love sandwiches
21:00and the meal deal
21:03is all about
21:04heroing the sandwich.
21:05In the last
21:1210 to 15 years
21:15the meal deal
21:16has evolved
21:17dramatically.
21:18Every customer
21:19will try
21:20up to 11
21:22different flavours
21:23so we can't
21:24just have
21:25the bog standard range
21:26we need to
21:27innovate
21:27and inspire.
21:32Becky.
21:33Yes.
21:34Hello, I'm Jo.
21:35Nice to see you.
21:35Hi, nice to meet you.
21:36How are you?
21:37I've got to ask you
21:38before we move on
21:39what is your favourite
21:40meal deal?
21:40I would definitely say
21:41a cheese sandwich.
21:43Yes.
21:44With crisps inside.
21:45100% crisps.
21:46So what are we
21:47going to be doing today?
21:48So you're going to see
21:50how a sandwich
21:50is born today.
21:54We have some real
21:55key quality attributes
21:56that we look at
21:57when we're developing
21:57a sandwich.
21:58So bread is one of them
21:59and sometimes
22:00we call them carriers
22:01and essentially
22:02that is just
22:02the product
22:03that holds
22:04all the ingredients
22:04inside.
22:05You might see
22:06like wraps
22:06or flatbreads
22:07or you might
22:07decide actually
22:08something fluffier
22:09like a focaccia
22:10or sub roll
22:11is better.
22:11So then moving on
22:12we use mayonnaise
22:13on that and mayonnaise
22:14acts as a barrier
22:15so it helps to
22:16lock that moisture in.
22:17So for example
22:17if you have tomatoes
22:18in there
22:19tomatoes are quite wet
22:20so you'd want to
22:21have a barrier
22:21between the tomatoes
22:22and the bread
22:23to prevent your bread
22:24going soggy.
22:24So the mayonnaise
22:25keeps the bread
22:26waterproof?
22:26Yes, essentially.
22:27From the wet tomato.
22:28So what other elements
22:29are we looking for?
22:30So then we want
22:31to always look
22:32at the leaf
22:32so this leaf
22:33is really bouncing
22:34it provides volume
22:35and makes that product
22:36look really full
22:36it also adds flavour
22:38colour and crunch
22:39and then we'll move
22:40on to the protein
22:41it's cut wafer thin
22:43and it helps
22:43that really lovely
22:44layered effect.
22:45So we've got
22:45the carrier
22:46we've got the barrier
22:47we've got the springy
22:49lettuce.
22:50Yes, with the layering
22:51process
22:51every single ingredient
22:52is really thought
22:53through.
22:53For 59% of us
23:00one of those layers
23:01is always meat
23:02with cheese coming
23:03in second highest
23:04at 32%
23:05but our palate
23:07is changing
23:07all the time.
23:10I've got to ask you
23:10Becky
23:10if we're developing
23:11sandwiches
23:12why have we got
23:13crisps in front of us?
23:14So last year
23:14Co-op launched
23:15a new crisp flavour
23:16called
23:17All Dressed
23:18Seriously Saucy
23:19have you ever heard of it?
23:21I haven't heard of that one
23:22but it sounds
23:22right up my street.
23:24Shall we just try them
23:25and see if you can
23:25distinguish what flavours
23:27are in it?
23:27I have been told
23:28my palate is extremely good.
23:33Salty?
23:34Yep.
23:35Tomatoy?
23:36Yep.
23:37Smoky?
23:38Yep.
23:39You're good at this.
23:40Barbecue-y?
23:41Yeah.
23:41Well done.
23:42Is that all of them?
23:43Yeah.
23:43I told you my palate
23:45was spot on didn't I?
23:47Because these were
23:48so popular
23:48it really got us
23:49thinking
23:49how can we use
23:50some of Co-op's
23:51most infamous
23:52and popular flavours
23:53and start translating
23:54them into a sandwich.
23:55We do have customers
23:56that have a very small
23:57repertoire in the meal deal
23:59so they might have
23:59five or six of their
24:00favourites
24:00like cheese
24:02BLT
24:03exactly
24:03and they'll
24:04buy those
24:05day in day out
24:06and kind of
24:06won't go anywhere else
24:07whereas we also
24:09need to make sure
24:09that we're giving
24:10customers who
24:11are seeking
24:11those more adventurous
24:12options
24:13more progressive
24:13more exciting
24:14products in the range.
24:16But will Becky's
24:18crisp flavoured sandwich
24:19make it to the shop floor?
24:24Coming up
24:25I'll find out
24:26how many sandwiches
24:27Britain makes
24:28every year.
24:29Britain leads the world
24:30in the sandwich industry
24:31and we employ
24:32something like
24:33300,000 people
24:34and it's a big industry.
24:36And the meal deal world
24:37is reeling
24:37after the latest
24:38revelations.
24:39When it comes to the snack
24:40I'm actually shocked
24:41at what we've got.
24:42The number one meal deal
24:43snack in 2024
24:44was I've been looking
24:52into the value
24:53behind the meal deal
24:54that we Brits
24:55love so much.
24:56Today's shop of choice
24:57is Waitrose
24:59we're feeling
25:00bougie on this fine Monday.
25:01I always feel like
25:02a scammer here
25:02because I get this movie
25:04for £2.80
25:05and two other items
25:07and it just comes
25:09up to £3.
25:09Come on now
25:10call me a hush puppy.
25:12Although these days
25:13the main in the meal
25:14deal include
25:15salads, sushi
25:16and soups
25:16for more than half of us
25:18it's still all about
25:19the sandwich.
25:20Well the old sandwich
25:21invented it originally
25:22in 1762.
25:24It's changed a bit
25:25since his day.
25:26The world looks to
25:27Britain for ideas
25:28for sandwiches.
25:28We employ something
25:29like 300,000 people
25:31and it's a big industry.
25:33It's somewhere
25:34over 3 billion
25:34sandwiches a year
25:35commercially made.
25:37It's worth about
25:38£7 billion a year.
25:39I'm back at the
25:46Co-op HQ in Manchester.
25:48They have over
25:49500 different items
25:50included in the meal deal
25:52but Development Chef
25:53Dye is showing me
25:54what they hope will be
25:55the next addition
25:56to the range.
25:57So this is everything
25:58that goes into
25:59this new sandwich right?
26:00Absolutely everything.
26:01Based on a best-selling
26:03new crisp flavour
26:04Becky's bosses
26:05will today make the
26:06decision whether to
26:07go into full production.
26:08No pressure.
26:13Let's start with
26:13the bread then.
26:14So this is onion bread.
26:16So we're going to
26:16build this on both
26:18slices of bread.
26:19Then we're going to
26:19assemble.
26:20Okay, right.
26:21Come on, I'll just
26:21follow your lead.
26:22This is a seriously
26:23saucy sauce.
26:24So it's smoky,
26:26sweet, it's tangy.
26:27And then we're going
26:27to mix in our
26:28shredded chicken.
26:30In a recent survey
26:31the Co-op came a close
26:32second to Sainsbury's
26:34when it came to the
26:35percentage of filling
26:35in their sandwiches.
26:37You want all of that
26:37chicken covered in the
26:39sauce so it's all one
26:41tasty mouthful.
26:43So Becky, did you come
26:44up with all these
26:44elements yourself?
26:46Yes.
26:46You've got to strike a
26:47balance between not
26:48having too much of that
26:49barbecue sauce that
26:50would then dominate and
26:51then not having too
26:51much of the vinegar in
26:52the ketchup and then
26:53it's really, really
26:54acidic so you've got to
26:55get it spot on so it
26:56tastes exactly like the
26:57crisp.
26:58There's a bit of
26:58science behind it.
26:59There is, yes,
27:00absolutely.
27:00If Stacey caught me
27:04making a sandwich like
27:05this, she would go mad.
27:06She'd be like, look at
27:07the mess you're making.
27:08It's only a sandwich.
27:09But now I can say to her,
27:11no, Stacey.
27:12There's science behind
27:13this sandwich.
27:13There is science behind
27:14it, yeah.
27:15Now, I know that these
27:16guys are the experts here.
27:18I might just add a little
27:19something to mine.
27:20But I am a MasterChef
27:21finalist, you know.
27:23I'm really into the old
27:24pesto at the minute.
27:25Right, okay.
27:26So I might just add a
27:26little bit of pesto to
27:28mine.
27:28I love it, absolutely.
27:29Go for it.
27:30See, what I've done is
27:31at home I scientifically
27:32weighed this to be
27:34perfect for this
27:35sandwich.
27:36So there's a lot more
27:37gone into this than you
27:37probably think.
27:40So now I'm just going to
27:41add a little bit of
27:42biscuit to mine, a little
27:43bit of cracker because I
27:44do like a little bit of
27:45crunch.
27:46So Di, you're going to
27:47follow your recipe spot on.
27:48I am.
27:49I am going to follow the
27:50recipe.
27:50I'm just going to change
27:52mine slightly.
27:53Add that little element of
27:53competition, you know.
27:54It's healthy, isn't it?
27:55Yeah, yeah, absolutely.
27:57Ready?
27:58Go for it.
27:59Nice.
28:07Becky's official
28:08seriously saucy sandwich
28:09is about to be tested
28:10by the team.
28:11But what about mine?
28:16Here you go.
28:17Thank you so much.
28:18It looks very well
28:19filled.
28:25What's the verdict?
28:30That is really good.
28:31I thought you said zero
28:32out of ten then.
28:33I was going to say
28:34charming.
28:34Not quite.
28:36That's really good.
28:37Who, whose sandwich do
28:39you prefer?
28:40I do prefer mine.
28:41But you've got a career in
28:43sandwich development if,
28:44if you want one.
28:45Thank you very much.
28:46If it all goes wrong with
28:47the presenting, I am back
28:48here making sandwiches.
28:51Getting a new product
28:52from the development lab
28:53into the stores can cost
28:55thousands of pounds.
28:56So there's a lot at stake
28:57for head of product
28:58development, Alexa,
29:00and head of brand, Nicole.
29:02We're thinking about
29:02every ingredient that's
29:03in the product.
29:04Is it necessary?
29:05Does it add something
29:06to the taste of the product?
29:07What the customer's first bite
29:09is going to tell them
29:10about the lengths we've gone to.
29:11People want to eat that
29:13and go, God, it's delicious.
29:15The sandwiches they'll be
29:16tasting have been provided
29:17by one of their suppliers
29:19who have followed
29:20Becky's recipe.
29:27Fingers crossed, Becky.
29:28Here we go.
29:29That is delicious, Becky.
29:41Oh, thank you.
29:43Can't believe how much
29:44it tastes like the crisps.
29:44I know.
29:45Look at you.
29:46We crashed it.
29:47So, is that a thumbs up
29:49or a thumbs down?
29:50That is absolutely
29:51a thumbs up.
29:52You've excelled yourself, Becky.
29:55That's great news.
29:55Well done, yeah.
29:56Yay, amazing.
29:57If only they tried one, eh?
29:59A little bit of pesto,
30:01a bit of cracker in there.
30:02Watch this, babe.
30:03Yeah, is that going to be
30:03next year's?
30:05Swashy saucy sandwich.
30:07I love it.
30:07That's great.
30:11Launching this year,
30:12that's Becky's, not mine,
30:13the co-op are hoping
30:14her seriously saucy sandwich
30:16will be a serious success
30:18this summer.
30:19But last year,
30:20a bombshell was delivered
30:21to the meal deal world
30:22and it had nothing
30:23to do with sandwiches.
30:25When it comes to the snack,
30:26I'm actually shocked
30:27at what we've got.
30:28The number one meal deal
30:29snack in 2024
30:30was the egg pot.
30:32Crisps have always been
30:33the number one snack
30:34and the egg pot
30:36has taken the top
30:37this year.
30:37Oh, I wonder
30:38how the crisps feel
30:39about that.
30:41Tesco say they sold
30:42a whopping 10 million
30:43egg pots
30:44and that trend
30:45towards higher protein
30:46and less processed food
30:47is something I'll be
30:48exploring in the next episode.
30:51Emma, tell me
30:52what is your favourite
30:52meal deal combination
30:53out of the 20 million
30:55you've got?
30:55My favourite main
30:57is a coronation chicken
30:57sandwich.
30:58Yeah.
30:59Then I have a carrot
30:59and hummus dipper.
31:00Yeah.
31:01And I'm really boring
31:02on the drink.
31:02I just normally get a water.
31:04I reckon overall
31:04you're hitting about
31:05seven and a half
31:06out of ten.
31:06Oh, what?
31:09Going back to our poll,
31:10we asked Uselot
31:11what was the main reason
31:12you keep choosing
31:13the meal deal.
31:14Uselot said convenience
31:16and I want to put
31:17that to the test.
31:20With nearly 100,000
31:22places offering
31:23a meal deal
31:24in the UK,
31:25it's by far
31:26the most convenient
31:27option for us.
31:28So I've challenged
31:29three of the most
31:29devoted meal deal
31:30fanatics in the country
31:32to see how hard
31:33it is to give up
31:34their daily habit.
31:35Rolling.
31:36My name is Amanda.
31:37I'm a 51-year-old
31:39yoga teacher,
31:40personal trainer
31:41and dog walker.
31:42So, my name's Jenny.
31:44And I'm Rob.
31:44And we love
31:46a meal deal.
31:47How much so
31:47that we're willing
31:48to sacrifice it
31:49for a week.
31:50Oh, God.
31:51All three will be
31:52preparing their own
31:53lunches for five days.
31:54But it turns out
31:55the draw of the meal deal
31:56isn't just about the food.
31:58For me,
31:59the meal deal
31:59is an experience thing
32:02and I just like
32:03doing it
32:04and having
32:05the choice
32:06and the selection
32:07right in front of my eyes.
32:09Meal deals became
32:09appealing to me
32:10because I like surprises.
32:12I get bored really easily.
32:13So it's like
32:14three things
32:14you can choose.
32:15Meal deals
32:16are so powerful
32:17in the mind
32:18of the consumer.
32:19What is important
32:20for supermarkets
32:21is just to make
32:23those trade-offs
32:23in the mind
32:24of the consumer
32:25just as entertaining
32:26as possible.
32:28And the way
32:28that supermarkets
32:30can continue
32:31to do that
32:32is to bring
32:33out more
32:34novel products,
32:36products that feel
32:37premium,
32:38products that feel
32:39like you're getting
32:39something just that
32:40little extra bit
32:41special.
32:42that's what
32:43will keep
32:43consumers coming back.
32:46Okay,
32:47basket is equipped.
32:48We are off.
32:49How's it going so far?
32:51Because I don't want to
32:52have the same thing
32:54every day.
32:55So I don't know
32:56what to do.
32:56It's also in the words
32:58as well,
32:59meal deal,
33:00just because they rhyme.
33:01And we know
33:02that words that rhyme
33:02together stick in the
33:03memory much more
33:04than words that don't.
33:05If supermarkets
33:07were to call this
33:08the discounted set
33:10lunch,
33:11no one would buy
33:13that,
33:14no one would want
33:15that.
33:15So will our trio
33:16of triers be able
33:17to escape the clutches
33:19of these clever
33:20meal deal
33:20marketeers?
33:22I'm breaking up,
33:23I'm breaking up
33:24for five days,
33:25maybe forever.
33:26We'll see how they
33:27cope later
33:28and how much money
33:29they spend.
33:34Choosing our own
33:35favourite meal deal
33:36isn't the only thing
33:37we're obsessed with.
33:38It is meal deal time.
33:42Go online
33:43and you'll soon find
33:44that there's nothing
33:44that we like more
33:45than judging each other
33:47about our choices.
33:48Rate my meal deal,
33:49which I think is elite.
33:51Getting a prawn cocktail
33:52sandwich or prawn cocktail
33:53crisps,
33:54what are you doing?
33:55I'm going to give this
33:56a rate and a solid
33:57four out of ten.
33:59I'm going to be posting
34:00my combination online
34:02to see what you guys
34:03think.
34:04But first,
34:06I'm going to speak
34:06to this fella called
34:07Niv.
34:07Now he calls himself
34:08the king of the meal
34:10deals.
34:10He's all over
34:11social media.
34:12He's tried thousands
34:13of different combinations.
34:15So if anyone's going
34:16to know a good one
34:16from a bad one,
34:18it's this fella.
34:21Lunchtime!
34:22Lunchtime!
34:24Lunchtime!
34:25Day selection,
34:26chicken triple,
34:28pineapple chunks
34:28and a Yazoo.
34:31The first ever
34:32five pound meal deal
34:32I'm having
34:33and I'm ecstatic.
34:35I'm buzzing!
34:35Oh, Niv!
34:36Here he is!
34:38Hey, here we go!
34:39Hello, Niv!
34:40How are you?
34:41So, Niv,
34:42why do you think
34:43we're all so obsessed
34:44with rating other
34:45people's meal deals?
34:46Well, I think people
34:47would like to know
34:48what people do think
34:50of their lunches
34:50and I see so many people
34:52do it on TikTok.
34:53It represents your taste,
34:55your personality.
34:57So, if someone's
34:57getting a boring meal deal
34:59like a boiled egg
35:00or a plain ham sandwich,
35:02it tells me
35:03they don't have
35:03a lot going on
35:04at the moment.
35:06I think you need
35:07to be adventurous,
35:08you need to show
35:09your character
35:09when getting your meal deal.
35:14Delicious!
35:15What are you going to tell us?
35:1610 out of 10.
35:17Going to have to give
35:18that a solid
35:192 out of 10.
35:20Don't judge me
35:21on this one.
35:22I like cheese and pickle
35:23sandwich.
35:23Cut, cut it.
35:24The food that we buy
35:26isn't just about
35:27what we want to
35:28fill us up.
35:29It's also about
35:31what we want to signal
35:32to other people.
35:33Are you a person
35:34of the people
35:35that will just buy
35:36the all-day breakfast
35:37or are you mango chutney
35:39chicken tikka
35:40and you're expressing
35:41to your fellow colleagues
35:42that you might have
35:43a slightly elevated palate
35:45to Sharon
35:47that sits next to you?
35:49The Rate My Meal Deal
35:51hashtag reaches
35:52more than 1 million
35:53of you each year.
35:54So, I'm wondering
35:55what you's lot
35:56think of mine.
35:57Here goes.
35:58Hello, you's lot.
35:59So, I'm going to try
36:00something a little bit
36:01different today.
36:02I'd like you's lot
36:03to rate My Meal Deal.
36:04Tell me what it says
36:05about me.
36:06What do you think of it?
36:07I think it's a 10 out of 10.
36:09My go-to sandwich
36:10is a ham and cheese.
36:11Can't go wrong.
36:12But I also like a little bit
36:13of a crunch with my sandwich
36:15so I have a packet
36:16of ready-sorted.
36:17And to wash it all down,
36:19I like a little bit
36:20of a fizzy pop
36:21just to cleanse the palate.
36:23So, now you's lot
36:23know My Meal Deal,
36:24please don't be too brutal.
36:26Tell me what you think.
36:27Coming up,
36:31can our meal deal devotees
36:32break a habit
36:33of a lifetime?
36:34I really didn't want
36:35to do it last time.
36:35And I wanted to just
36:37do dinner
36:37and not have to prep
36:39for the next day.
36:40And what's caused
36:41the biggest change
36:42in the meal deal's
36:4325-year history?
36:44Whenever we see
36:46a recession,
36:47what tends to happen
36:47is people who were
36:48going out to restaurants
36:50at lunchtime
36:51stop doing that
36:53and they go to
36:54the meal deal.
36:54I've been looking at
37:03why us Brits
37:04love meal deals
37:05so much.
37:06But even success stories
37:08need a glow up
37:09every now and then.
37:10And despite it having
37:11been a tough few years
37:12financially for most
37:14people,
37:14the meal deal
37:15has gone posh.
37:17There's something
37:17called the lipstick effect
37:18and economists have
37:19seen this trend
37:20that whenever there's
37:22a recession,
37:22sales of luxury items
37:24within a certain
37:25price point increase.
37:27And that's because
37:28when things are a bit
37:29clung,
37:29when we feel that
37:30money's a little bit
37:31tight,
37:31we look for those
37:32things that make us
37:33feel good.
37:35Whenever we see
37:36a recession,
37:37what tends to happen
37:38is people who were
37:39going out to restaurants
37:40at lunchtime
37:41stop doing that
37:43and they go to
37:44the meal deal.
37:45The premium market
37:46actually grows.
37:47The retailers,
37:48their knee-jerk reaction
37:49very often in those
37:50situations is,
37:51oh, we must do
37:51a cheap product.
37:52It doesn't work.
37:53It's actually the reverse.
37:55You almost need to do
37:55more premium products
37:57in difficult times
37:58than you would normally.
38:07To find out
38:08if these premium sandwiches
38:09are worth the extra money,
38:14Today, I'm here
38:16at the Trafford Centre
38:17conducting an experiment.
38:18That direction!
38:20Get a free sandwich!
38:22A taste test
38:23to find out
38:24what the good people
38:24of Manchester
38:25make of this meal deal
38:27upgrade.
38:28Come and get some sandwiches.
38:30It's down by the food hall.
38:36Back to the top five
38:38supermarkets in the UK.
38:40Without using the
38:41loyalty card,
38:41Tesco charges £5.50
38:43for their premium meal deal.
38:45Sainsbury's is a fiver.
38:48The sandwich costs
38:49£4 from Morrison's,
38:51£3.52 at Asda
38:53and £2.99 at Aldi.
38:55But are they worth the upgrade?
38:57It's time to feel your faces.
38:58I like the way he does his sandwiches
39:05with his little fingers.
39:07Lovely, that is.
39:13Don't put the dirty sandwich
39:15back with the clean ones.
39:16I'm sorry.
39:17They're bra.
39:21When supermarkets expand
39:23their own ranges,
39:24that tends to split down
39:26a value equation
39:27of good,
39:28better
39:29and best.
39:31Having a good enough range
39:33for things like
39:34ham and cheese sandwiches
39:36that will never go out of fashion
39:37means that they capture
39:39that more cash-conscious consumer.
39:43A middling range
39:44is for maybe
39:45your everyday buys
39:47and then,
39:47of course,
39:48they're going to make
39:49a bit more profit
39:50off of those premium ranges
39:52that we really look to
39:55when we're looking
39:55to treat ourselves.
39:57So it's absolutely key
39:58for the convenience retailers
40:01to make sure
40:02that they have
40:03really attractive
40:04premium meal deal offers.
40:08So,
40:09if the supermarkets
40:10are trying to squeeze
40:10even more profit
40:11from our love
40:12of the meal deal,
40:13are we willing
40:14to shell out
40:14more of our hard-earned
40:15pennies for them?
40:17Would you pay extra
40:18for a premium sandwich?
40:19That was a little bit better.
40:20You would?
40:21Definitely, yeah.
40:22Are you happy
40:23to pay the extra money
40:23for them?
40:24Yeah, absolutely,
40:25if it delivers.
40:26Yeah?
40:26Absolutely.
40:27I feel like the bread's better
40:28and it's softer
40:29and it's nicer.
40:30Is it worth it?
40:32Yeah, I feel like
40:32there's a lot more stuff
40:33in it than just
40:34a regular sandwich.
40:35And you're getting
40:36the higher quality meat.
40:38And you can tell
40:38the difference,
40:39can't you?
40:39Yeah, definitely.
40:43Most of our
40:44randomly selected
40:45shoppers in the
40:46Trafford Center
40:46say that better bread,
40:48higher quality fillings
40:49meant that they'd
40:50happily go premium
40:51for a treat.
40:52So now the question
40:53is, which of these
40:54randomly selected
40:55New York deli sandwiches
40:56do they like best?
40:58Ladies and gentlemen,
40:59I can tell you
41:00that the people
41:01of Manchester
41:01have spoken.
41:03The votes are in.
41:04They've been counted.
41:05And I can tell you
41:06the favourite premium
41:07sandwich from Manchester
41:09goes to
41:10Morrison's.
41:13Well done,
41:14Morrison's.
41:17Love you.
41:18Whether it's buying
41:25a standard or a premium
41:26one, we all know
41:28that meal deals
41:29are big business
41:30for supermarkets.
41:31So to get you
41:32to choose their store,
41:33they've got to use
41:34all the tactics
41:34that they can.
41:36And one of the big ones
41:36they like to use
41:37is this,
41:38the loyalty card.
41:40Meal deals have become
41:41really important
41:42to the supermarkets
41:44that sell them
41:45because they draw
41:47people in.
41:48They might be making
41:49a loss on the combined
41:50price of the individual
41:52products,
41:53but oftentimes
41:53they're hoping
41:54that you'll also
41:55buy something else.
41:57We might buy a meal deal,
41:58but we might also
41:59be buying food
42:00for the weekend.
42:01We might be buying
42:02baby food.
42:03We might be buying
42:04clothes.
42:05And then they can get
42:06so much more rich
42:07information
42:09from the data
42:09we share.
42:10Everything about
42:11the actual
42:12transaction itself
42:13can tell us
42:14a little bit
42:14about the person
42:16that's buying it
42:17and the items
42:17that they're buying.
42:21So the meal deal
42:23doesn't just get us
42:23through their door,
42:24it also encourages
42:25us to sign up
42:26to their loyalty scheme.
42:28A lot of these
42:28grocers actually have
42:29specific data science
42:31teams within their
42:32organisations
42:32to do just this,
42:33behavioural science,
42:35how often are people
42:35shopping with us,
42:36are they shopping
42:37elsewhere?
42:38The market of
42:39purchasing data
42:40is actually
42:41quite lucrative
42:41in the UK.
42:43According to our poll,
42:4488% of you's lot
42:46choose to get
42:46the extra loyalty
42:47card discount,
42:48which can shave
42:49up to 15%
42:50off a meal deal.
42:55It's near the end
42:56of our five-day
42:57challenge to see
42:58if our free meal deal
42:59devotees can go
43:00cold turkey
43:01from their meal deal
43:02habit.
43:02Let's have a look
43:03how it's gone
43:05in transit.
43:06Okay,
43:07it's a bit soggy.
43:08As the week
43:09progresses,
43:10Jenny and Rob
43:11have struggled
43:12with motivation.
43:13I think the biggest
43:14challenge is actually
43:15seeing what ingredients
43:16I've got left.
43:17But for Amanda,
43:18preparing her own
43:19lunches has been
43:20a revelation.
43:21when I opened the door,
43:28I could smell the garlic
43:29that I cooked
43:30yesterday,
43:31and it smelled
43:33delicious.
43:33It smelled so nice
43:34to have that
43:36homely smell
43:38of self-care
43:40and something healthy.
43:42Five days on,
43:43will it be back
43:44to normal on Monday?
43:45I love the experience
43:47of a meal deal
43:48and I love
43:50going to get it.
43:51I love the steps
43:52that I take
43:53to go and get it.
43:54It's extra for a day.
43:55You get fresh air.
43:56You get to just
43:57depart your mind
43:59from work
43:59for a little bit
44:00and go to the shop.
44:02And I quite like that.
44:03It's entertaining.
44:05It's good.
44:06I'm converted.
44:07Obviously,
44:09it costs more.
44:11So I'm going to
44:11celebrate my success
44:13and continue
44:14because I feel
44:15better for it.
44:15I do.
44:16Mentally,
44:16physiologically,
44:18physically,
44:19maybe not financially,
44:22or maybe not time-wise,
44:23but we can find time.
44:25For me personally,
44:26it wouldn't replace
44:27my love for meal deals.
44:30Yeah,
44:30I think the same as well.
44:32It's a convenience, really.
44:33I feel like I lost time
44:35where I could have been
44:36doing other things as well.
44:38Give me back a meal deal.
44:40The challenge cost all three
44:41nearly double the money
44:43and a lot more time.
44:44The meal deal
44:45might have lost one customer,
44:47but the value and convenience
44:48was too strong
44:49for Rob and Jenny.
44:55Going back to our poll
44:57to prove how obsessed
44:58we are as a nation
44:59with meal deals,
45:00nearly three-quarters of you
45:02told us you'd buy them,
45:03and more than a third
45:04buy them at least
45:05twice a week.
45:08Before I find out
45:09what you's lot think
45:10of my combination,
45:11what have the rest
45:12of our lovely meal deal
45:13experts chosen?
45:14A sandwich plus orange,
45:17and I'd probably be naughty
45:18and have a chocolate bar.
45:21Halloumi or falafel,
45:23always crisps,
45:24and the chunkier,
45:25the better for me,
45:26and I would generally
45:27have a healthy drink,
45:28so take the calories
45:29in the food
45:30rather than the drink.
45:31My go-to is very much
45:33a cheese and a ham sandwich,
45:35a brookie bar,
45:37which is a cookie
45:37and brownie combined,
45:39and a fair trade
45:41caramel frappe,
45:43just as a pick-me-up
45:44for the afternoon.
45:45Not bad.
45:47Let's see what you think
45:48of mine.
45:49Brutally honest as ever,
46:02I do love my social
46:04media followers.
46:06I'm just halfway through
46:07my meal deal journey.
46:09Next time,
46:10I go behind the scenes
46:11at Tesco to find out
46:12what we could be eating
46:13in the future.
46:14I find out which combos
46:15pack the most protein,
46:17how all the plastic packaging
46:19could be a thing of the past,
46:21and reveal which sandwich,
46:22drink and snack
46:23goes into your favourite
46:24meal deal.
Recommended
46:45
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