It's the question everyone asks before their first online meat order: is it actually cheaper than the supermarket? The honest answer is, it depends how you buy, but for most people, done right, it works out cheaper and better. Here's how the maths really stacks up.
Where online wins on price
- Buying in bulk. This is the big one. Meat boxes and bulk packs bring the price per kilo right down compared to buying a couple of fillets at a time. The more you buy in one go, the cheaper each portion gets.
- No impulse buys. You're not walking past the biscuit aisle. You buy the meat you came for.
- Less waste. Portion it, freeze it, use what you need. Wasted food is wasted money, and a freezer full of portioned meat is a lot harder to waste.
Compare like for like
The trick is to compare the same quality. A cheap value-range supermarket pack will always undercut a proper butcher on the shelf price, but you're not buying the same thing. Match butcher quality against a supermarket's premium range and the gap closes fast, often in the online butcher's favour once you're buying in sensible quantities.
Don't forget the hidden costs
The supermarket trip isn't free either, there's the fuel, the parking, and the hour of your Saturday. Meat delivered to your door on a day you choose has a value that doesn't show up on the receipt.
The verdict
Buy single items in tiny quantities and a value supermarket range will be cheaper. But buy in bulk, freeze in portions and compare quality honestly, and an online butcher usually comes out ahead, with better meat into the bargain.
See for yourself
Have a look at our meat boxes for the best price per kilo, or build your own box and work out your own cost per portion.