Confectionery — half price deals

Buying confectionery on special

Chocolate and lollies are the most reliably promoted category in any supermarket, and the promotional cycle is tied closely to the calendar — Easter, Christmas and the school holidays all produce a wave of half price blocks and share bags.

Chocolate keeps well in a cool, dark cupboard but not in a hot Australian kitchen: above about 25°C it blooms, which affects texture rather than safety but is unpleasant. If you are buying several blocks on special in summer, the fridge is a reasonable compromise. Boxed chocolates near a seasonal date are often discounted heavily right after the occasion passes, which is the cheapest chocolate of the year.

Related reading: how to check a half price deal is really a deal and what is actually worth stockpiling.