I shopped at B&M and Home Bargains… but which store had the best bargains for lowest prices?
Writer and mum-of-three Lynsey Hope compares 15 everyday essentials from each – and reveals which one offers the best value.
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From baby wipes and toothpaste to crisps and shampoo, discount giant B&M is a treasure trove for families wanting to stock up on everyday essentials.
Not only does the budget chain sell cleaning and beauty products at rock-bottom prices, but they also stock oodles of edible goods, such as chocolate and crisps – the sort of snacks most families devour by the bagful.
As a busy working mum with three children - Jacob, ten, Olive, eight, and Ivy, five - B&M has become one of my favourite places to pick up a variety of goods I use all the time.
As the cost-of-living crisis continues, I'm always on the lookout for best buys for the whole family, whether that's cereal, batteries or washing-up liquid.
All of us mums love a bargain and these stores often sell items even cheaper than you would find in the supermarket.
But is B&M really the best place for bargains?
Its biggest rival, Home Bargains, is experiencing record growth.
Profits grew by 34.2 per cent to a record £434million in the year to June 2024. There were a staggering 617 stores across the UK at the end of 2024 — 23 more than the previous year.
More Home Bargains outlets are due to open in Watford and Newport this summer, while other retailers struggle.
B&M, for example, issued a profit warning last month and said like-for-like sales were down by 3.1 per cent.
But they still have 686 stores in the UK with a plan to expand to 1,200 sites in the next few years
So, when it comes to B&M versus Home Bargains, which one offers better value?
I bought a basket of 15 essentials at each shop and tallied up how much they cost on the day.
It's worth noting that these prices can fluctuate, so while this comparison reflects what I paid at the time, costs may vary depending on when you shop.
Here's what happened when I took to the aisles to investigate . . .
B&M
Home Bargains
LYNSEY'S VERDICT
I WAS really surprised to find that Home Bargains was cheaper than B&M.
I shopped around for lots of items and many things like washing up liquid, fabric conditioner and shampoo were the same price in both stores.
However, Home Bargains did have some everyday stuff at lower prices.
I picked up some sun cream, batteries and baby wipes all a bit cheaper at Home Bargains.
It's only a small saving, but given I get through a lot of these, it's definitely a saving worth having.
Even a pouch of Quality Street was 51p cheaper than it was at B&M, and one of my favourite sheet masks – a real mum treat – was 30p cheaper.
Lots of this stuff was 'on offer', so I'll have to go back to see if these bargain prices continue. I shopped at both stores at around 4pm, so it's possible B&M would have discounted further if I'd gone closer to the 10pm closing time.
Food products seemed cheaper at Home Bargains, but the candle I picked up was cheaper at B&M.
There was only a penny in it, but they also had a much better selection of gifts and home products, such as photo frames and towels.
There was also a better selection of toys. I didn't buy anything this time, but with lots of children's parties coming up, I'd definitely go back to B&M for those.
More importantly, both stores offered much lower prices than most supermarkets.
The six pack of Walkers crisps was £1.95 in both stores. These would set you back £2.20 at Morrisons and Sainsburys, £2.15 at Tesco and £2 at Asda.
And the tiny tin of Vaseline was cheaper here than it would be if you bought it from Sainsbury's, Ocado or Waitrose. The sun cream I chose – £6.49 in Home Bargains – would cost you £7.50 at Boots.
WATCH FOR PROMOTIONS
CONSUMER expert Helen Dewdney, of thecomplainingcow.co.uk, says: "BOTH shops usually offer good value for money. However, it really depends on what it is you want to buy as to which one will work for you.
"For everyday essential food stuffs, like bread and canned goods, Home Bargains may offer better deals.
"Conversely, for household items and toiletries, B&M might provide more savings.
"To ensure you are getting the best prices, you have to carefully compare the different items. Neither store has universal pricing across items, so consumers should compare individual items and if you want it buy it before it goes as stock can vary.
"Sometimes you have to be lucky as B&M often discounts items later in the day, bringing the price to lower than Home Bargains. Of course, Home Bargains may also discount some food items later in the day.
"Both have frequent promotions, but it's only a saving if you need the item – so be careful of buying something just because it is on promotion.
"B&M has one advantage over Home Bargains in that it has an app with a barcode scanner where you can uncover discounts in store. Both run promotions, so check on websites and signs.
"Be careful of sizes and multi-pack deals which may be cheaper in the supermarket."
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