How to Read Supermarket Flyers and Compare Prices Smartly

Published · June 1, 2026

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Weekly flyers are a powerful saving tool — but only if you know how to read them. Some “offers” are just the usual price repackaged, while others are tied to quantities or dates. This guide shows you how to read a flyer like a pro: from the before-and-after price, to discount percentages, to the fine print that can change an offer’s value entirely.

Look for the before-and-after price

A genuine offer shows the original price, the discounted price, and the savings percentage. If you only see a single price labelled “offer,” there may be no real discount. Always compare against the price you already know for that product.

To make comparison easier, browse the products page and search for the same product to see its usual price range before believing any advertised discount.

Understand discount percentages

The discount percentage is calculated from the original price: (original − discounted) ÷ original × 100. Quickly check that the advertised percentage matches the actual gap between the two prices.

Watch out, too, for phrases like “up to 50%” — they mean only some products reach that figure, not all of them.

Read the fine print

Many offers come with conditions. Understand them before you plan your purchases so you are not surprised at the till:

“Buy 2 get 1” — requires buying a set quantity.
A maximum quantity per customer.
Validity for specific days or hours only.
The offer applies to one category or brand only.

Tell real offers from marketing ones

Not every label on the flyer is a discount. Words like “new,” “best-seller,” or “featured” are marketing cues to grab attention, not price cuts.

Focus on products that show a before-and-after price with a clear discount percentage, and ignore the colourful packaging that is not backed by real savings.

Use a platform that gathers flyers

Instead of browsing each store’s flyer separately, a deals platform lets you search for a specific product and compare its price across several stores in your city at once — the fastest way to spot the best deal.

Start from the offers page to browse all active offers, or visit the stores page to follow your favourite store on its own page. And if you focus on groceries, hypermarket offers gathers supermarket offers in one place.

Tie reading to a buying plan

Reading the flyer is worthless without a plan. Turn the offers you find into an organised shopping list, and buy what you genuinely need at the best time.

To connect this skill to a complete saving plan, read our guide on saving money on grocery shopping.

Frequently asked questions

How do I calculate the discount percentage myself?: Subtract the discounted price from the original, divide the result by the original price, then multiply by 100. Compare the result with the percentage advertised on the flyer.
What does “up to 50%” mean?: It means the highest discount in the offer reaches 50% for some products only, while the rest may be discounted far less.
Is everything on the flyer discounted?: No. Many items appear for marketing purposes (“new,” “featured”) with no real discount. Always look for the before-and-after price.
What is the fastest way to compare offers across stores?: Use a platform that aggregates flyers and offers in your city, and search for the product to compare its price across stores without opening each flyer separately.

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Look for the before-and-after price

To make comparison easier, browse the products page and search for the same product to see its usual price range before believing any advertised discount.

Understand discount percentages

Watch out, too, for phrases like “up to 50%” — they mean only some products reach that figure, not all of them.

Tell real offers from marketing ones

Not every label on the flyer is a discount. Words like “new,” “best-seller,” or “featured” are marketing cues to grab attention, not price cuts.

Focus on products that show a before-and-after price with a clear discount percentage, and ignore the colourful packaging that is not backed by real savings.

Use a platform that gathers flyers

Frequently asked questions

How do I calculate the discount percentage myself?

Subtract the discounted price from the original, divide the result by the original price, then multiply by 100. Compare the result with the percentage advertised on the flyer.

What does “up to 50%” mean?

It means the highest discount in the offer reaches 50% for some products only, while the rest may be discounted far less.

Is everything on the flyer discounted?

No. Many items appear for marketing purposes (“new,” “featured”) with no real discount. Always look for the before-and-after price.

What is the fastest way to compare offers across stores?

Use a platform that aggregates flyers and offers in your city, and search for the product to compare its price across stores without opening each flyer separately.