Carrefour's 3-for-2 deal: €95.12 savings questioned
Carrefour's 3-for-2 offer yields €95.12 in discounts, but the claimed 49.68% saving drops to 33.2% depending on the calculation base. Bulk buying non-perishables to combat inflation.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Carrefour's 3-for-2 deal: €95.12 savings questioned
As described by the thread starter, their cart contains 60 non-perishable items, €95.12 in discounts, and a frozen basket priced for the next six months. On paper, the strategy is flawless: bulk-buying items that don't expire before inflation erodes purchasing power further. The issue arises when recalculating the actual savings.
Their initial calculation divides €95.12 by the €191.44 finally paid, resulting in a 49.68% discount, plus a €20 coupon for the first purchase. The rebuttal trinc quickly: if the discount is measured against the previous price—€286.56—the percentage falls to 33.2%, according to another user. Both figures are mathematically correct but measure different things; only one resembles what a shopper would call a discount.
How much do you actually save with a 3-for-2 purchase?
The gap isn't a calculation error but a change of basis. The 49.68% reflects savings per euro spent from your pocket. The 33.2% reflects the reduction on the shelf price. This distinction fuels most of the debate.
The complete item-by-item breakdown, showing unit prices before and after the promotion, allows shoppers to decide if the deal is worthwhile. This leads to the second, uncomfortable question: is the starting price real or manipulated?
Does Carrefour raise prices before applying the 3-for-2?
This suspicion hangs over the discussion from the start. One user cites the tuna case: a can that cost €1 now appears in a 3-for-2 deal at €4 for three, meaning €1.33 per unit. With the offer applied, it ends up 33% more expensive than before the promotion. A sale and a price hike simultaneously.
The counterargument, defended by the bulk buyer, is simple yet hard to fully refute. If the chain inflated prices just before the 3-for-2, they would also inflate them for single sales, losing those customers. The 3-for-2 label and the unit price label are the same. The practical advice repeated here: compare with last month's catalog before accepting any markdown.
Savings that hold up: from Wipp Express to anchovies
Some cases withstand scrutiny, according to the author. A bottle of Wipp Express for 90 washes bought for €13.40 with the 3-for-2 is currently €21.60 in-store. That equates to paying 62% of the current price: a 38% saving per load for months. Pure logic of stockpiling at old prices.
Not everything holds equally well. A tin of 29g drained anchovies at €2.65 works out to €91.37 per kilo, by his own calculations. Another user notes that olive oil from a specific brand, during its price surge, was seen at €9 within the 3-for-2 deal. The promotion lowers costs, but not always enough to make them cheap.
What is cheaper than Carrefour's 3-for-2?
Several chains and formats serve as price references. Lidl's private-label detergent pods have been seen at €0.13 per capsule; known brands at €0.20 at Family Cash, with Fairy dishwasher liquid at €0.15. The 5-liter Fairy jug is €5.95 at that same chain. White vinegar, five liters for €2, serves as a household cleaner, according to these users. Low-cost chains are also mentioned, whose prices, according to regulars, highlight the comparison unfavorably.
The underlying conclusion: branded 3-for-2 deals aren't always the cheapest route, but the most convenient way to fill the pantry all at once.
Carrefour promotions that beat the 3-for-2
Within the chain's own system, there are mechanics where the 3-for-2 loses, according to several users. The 50% cashback, the second unit at 70%, the 2-for-1, or the 100% cashback—which returns the full amount as a voucher for future use, hence its rarity—yield more value per euro invested, according to calculations by the most meticulous shoppers.
The trick lies in the voucher: money doesn't return to your pocket but stays as balance for a future purchase. Those who master the system combine discounts with club days and accumulated vouchers. According to one user, olive oil at €9 in a 3-for-2 can end up costing €4.50 with 50% cashback, and €3 by adding the club day—a figure no shelf offers cold. The math works, but requires immobilized funds and patience to catch the calendar.
Buying 60 non-perishable items to secure the grocery basket for six months makes sense if the unit price withstands comparison with the rest of the market. When it doesn't, the promotion merely disguises a price hike. Who wins depends on who compares prices before filling the cart.
As described by the thread starter, their cart contains 60 non-perishable items, €95.12 in discounts, and a frozen basket priced for the next six months. On paper, the strategy is flawless: bulk-buying items that don't expire before inflation erodes purchasing power further. The issue arises when recalculating the actual savings.
Their initial calculation divides €95.12 by the €191.44 finally paid, resulting in a 49.68% discount, plus a €20 coupon for the first purchase. The rebuttal trinc quickly: if the discount is measured against the previous price—€286.56—the percentage falls to 33.2%, according to another user. Both figures are mathematically correct but measure different things; only one resembles what a shopper would call a discount.
How much do you actually save with a 3-for-2 purchase?
The gap isn't a calculation error but a change of basis. The 49.68% reflects savings per euro spent from your pocket. The 33.2% reflects the reduction on the shelf price. This distinction fuels most of the debate.
The complete item-by-item breakdown, showing unit prices before and after the promotion, allows shoppers to decide if the deal is worthwhile. This leads to the second, uncomfortable question: is the starting price real or manipulated?
Does Carrefour raise prices before applying the 3-for-2?
This suspicion hangs over the discussion from the start. One user cites the tuna case: a can that cost €1 now appears in a 3-for-2 deal at €4 for three, meaning €1.33 per unit. With the offer applied, it ends up 33% more expensive than before the promotion. A sale and a price hike simultaneously.
The counterargument, defended by the bulk buyer, is simple yet hard to fully refute. If the chain inflated prices just before the 3-for-2, they would also inflate them for single sales, losing those customers. The 3-for-2 label and the unit price label are the same. The practical advice repeated here: compare with last month's catalog before accepting any markdown.
Savings that hold up: from Wipp Express to anchovies
Some cases withstand scrutiny, according to the author. A bottle of Wipp Express for 90 washes bought for €13.40 with the 3-for-2 is currently €21.60 in-store. That equates to paying 62% of the current price: a 38% saving per load for months. Pure logic of stockpiling at old prices.
Not everything holds equally well. A tin of 29g drained anchovies at €2.65 works out to €91.37 per kilo, by his own calculations. Another user notes that olive oil from a specific brand, during its price surge, was seen at €9 within the 3-for-2 deal. The promotion lowers costs, but not always enough to make them cheap.
What is cheaper than Carrefour's 3-for-2?
Several chains and formats serve as price references. Lidl's private-label detergent pods have been seen at €0.13 per capsule; known brands at €0.20 at Family Cash, with Fairy dishwasher liquid at €0.15. The 5-liter Fairy jug is €5.95 at that same chain. White vinegar, five liters for €2, serves as a household cleaner, according to these users. Low-cost chains are also mentioned, whose prices, according to regulars, highlight the comparison unfavorably.
The underlying conclusion: branded 3-for-2 deals aren't always the cheapest route, but the most convenient way to fill the pantry all at once.
Carrefour promotions that beat the 3-for-2
Within the chain's own system, there are mechanics where the 3-for-2 loses, according to several users. The 50% cashback, the second unit at 70%, the 2-for-1, or the 100% cashback—which returns the full amount as a voucher for future use, hence its rarity—yield more value per euro invested, according to calculations by the most meticulous shoppers.
The trick lies in the voucher: money doesn't return to your pocket but stays as balance for a future purchase. Those who master the system combine discounts with club days and accumulated vouchers. According to one user, olive oil at €9 in a 3-for-2 can end up costing €4.50 with 50% cashback, and €3 by adding the club day—a figure no shelf offers cold. The math works, but requires immobilized funds and patience to catch the calendar.
Buying 60 non-perishable items to secure the grocery basket for six months makes sense if the unit price withstands comparison with the rest of the market. When it doesn't, the promotion merely disguises a price hike. Who wins depends on who compares prices before filling the cart.
Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (134 replies).
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