The battle for bargains. We’ve all been there, scouring the shelves for the perfect discount, waiting for the clock to tick over to markdown time, and pouncing on those “quick sale” items like they’re going out of fashion. But what happens when the system fails us, and the discounts are so laughable they become insulting?

Imagine my surprise when I stumbled upon a “quick sale” mince packet at Coles, emblazoned with a bright yellow sticker boasting a whopping 33 cent discount. That’s right, folks, a whole 33 cents off the regular price for a packet of greyish-brown mince that looked like it was on its last legs. I couldn’t believe it. Were they serious?

As I scrolled through a recent online discussion, one post caught my eye. The author had compared the prices of a meal from El Jannah, a popular Lebanese restaurant in Sydney, on the restaurant’s website versus on Uber Eats. The difference was staggering – a 63% markup on the same meal when ordered through the app. This got me thinking about the proliferation of food delivery apps and their impact on consumer spending.