A viral post caught my attention recently, showing four common supermarket items coming to just under £28. It made me wonder: how much value can you get by visiting the Tuesday Market at Stockyard, and how does it compare against rising supermarket costs?

On visiting the Tuesday Market on a cold February morning, I was able to find all the items I’d set out to compare, perhaps not the exact same cereal or coffee brands, but fair and reasonable substitutes, and the mince was nearly double the quantity, easily stretching to another meal. As I suspected, the total came in significantly cheaper, saving a full £9.50.

(Info from @James Melville)

Cereal
Tesco: £4.25 (Special K Red Berries)
Stockyard: £1.50 (Kellogg’s Oaties of Shreddies)

Coffee
Tesco: £8 (Nescafé Gold)
Stockyard: £3.50 (Nescafé Azera)

Minced Beef
Tesco: £7.10 (500g)
Stockyard: £5.99 (922g)

Boneless Salmon Fillets
Tesco: £8 (260g)
Stockyard: £6.86 (260g)

Total
Tesco: £27.35
Stockyard: £17.85

Difference: £9.50

I’m sure this doesn’t come as much of a surprise, most people already know they can cut the cost of their food shop by looking beyond the big supermarkets. But it does highlight something important: you can shop locally and independently while still keeping to a lower budget. Not everyone has the time to pop into town on a Tuesday morning, especially when work, parenting, and caring responsibilities get in the way; however, for those who can access places like the Tuesday Market, there’s real peace of mind in knowing you’re getting value for money while also supporting independent businesses rather than a national chain.

I then set myself a challenge: what could I buy for £28 at Stockyard? The answer turned out to be a lot.

If I personally had £28 to spend at Stockyard, I’d go for:

• Landport Sausages (1.25kg): £8
• Adrians Bakery White Bloomer: £1.99
• Pilsley Farm Venison Mince (450g): £5
• Colton Bassett Stilton: £4.20
• Eggs (6): £2.10
• Blueberries (3 punnets): £1
• Becky B &C Herbs and Spices- Himalayan Pink Salt: £2

Total: £24.29, leaving almost £4 for a lovely coffee from 1234 Coffee, or a sweet treat from one of the stalls.

This isn’t about suggesting that the market is a perfect solution to the cost‑of‑living crisis, or that everyone can or should shop this way. Life doesn’t always allow time for weekday markets. But it does show that for those who can fit it into their schedule, local markets like Stockyard can provide both affordability and a sense of connection, knowing your money supports local producers, farmers and bakers who form part of the community.

Appendix: List of shopping costs

Pilsley Farm Venison Mince (450g) – £5
Colton Bassett  Stilton (262g) – £4.20
Landport Sausages (1.25kg) – £8
Landport Cajun Pork Ribs (950g) – £6
Adrians Bakery White Bloomer (800g) – £1.99
Adrians Bakery Torpedo Cobs (4 large) – £1.50
Scarborough Fayre Kippers (260g) – £4.78
Himalyan Pink Salt (medium bag) – £2
Eggs (6) – £2.10
Blueberries (3 punnets) – £1
Marfonia Potatoes (25kg sack) £12