toiletries

A MAJOR supermarket has slashed the cost of hundreds of grocery staples in a bid to help shoppers save money.

Morrisons has reduced the prices of 650 everyday items, with savings averaging 18%.

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Essentials such as chicken breast fillets, fresh vegetables, olive oil, laundry pods, and enchilada kits are all included in the price cuts.

These reductions take effect today, both in-store and online, and will remain in place for at least four to eight weeks.

The supermarket says the move is aimed at helping households manage rising costs, especially with Christmas just around the corner.

Family meal staples such as rice, pasta, and chicken have been discounted, alongside basics like toilet rolls, kitchen rolls, and mayonnaise.

Seasonal items such as soups and cold and flu tablets are also included in the reductions.

Alex Paver, pricing and customer director at Morrisons, said: “At Morrisons we believe great quality should be affordable for everyone, and we know that the cost of everyday products really matter to our customers right now.

“That’s why we’re cutting the prices of over 650 items, from fresh favourites to cupboard staples, so our customers can trust they’re getting real value every time they shop with us.

“These price cuts mean customers can spend less on the essentials and still enjoy the great quality Morrisons is known for.”

In addition to the price reductions, Morrisons has also launched a number of weekly deals.

These include discounts on popular items like wine, coffee, and tea.

What else is happening at Morrisons?

Morrisons slashed over 3,600 jobs and closed 17 stores as part of a major shake-up to its operations.

The supermarket’s workforce dropped from 104,819 to 101,144 in the year leading up to October 27, 2024.

Thousands of jobs were axed across Morrisons’ stores, head office, as well as its manufacturing and distribution operations.

The latest job losses come after the Morrisons shut 17 of its stores around the UK earlier this year, with the final store in Haxby, North Yorkshire, closing on May 14.

The 16 other stores were all axed in April.

As part of a cost-cutting overhaul, the grocer also shut more than 50 of its in-store cafés, 35 meat and fish counters, and 18 Market Kitchen food courts earlier this year.

It cited the need to cut costs amid rising financial pressure.

It is instead investing in tech, rolling out new “Tally” robots to help customers find items on the shelves and improve stock management.

However, the business has returned to profit for the first time since 2021, when the chain was bought by US private equity investor Clayton Dubilier & Rice (CD&R).

Morrisons posted a pre-tax profit of £2.1billion for the year ending October 27 2024, reversing losses of £919million in 2023 and £1.3billion in 2022, according to new filings on Companies House.

I’m a regular traveller, but I don’t go anywhere without this handy, practical beauty bag that I bought from Amazon years ago – and it’s now reduced in price to under £25

As someone who travels often for both work and pleasure, from overnight stays to long-haul holidays, I like to think that I’ve become something of a pro at packing neatly and concisely. For my clothes, I’ve recently invested in a set of the best packing cubes I’ve ever used, and for toiletries, this trusty Amazon bag of mine can’t be beaten.

It might not be the most luxurious or the most elegant of items (my boyfriend think it looks like an old lady’s handbag), but in terms of practicality and price, I’ve never found anything that’s even half as good – especially as it’s currently reduced from £29.99 to £23.99. Here’s why I love it so much…

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I first saw this toiletries bag recommended by celebrity hairstylist Jen Atkin on Instagram and, as she’s someone who probably always packs a lot of products, I thought it was worth trying out.

I have the larger one (there’s also a medium, and all are available in several different colours), and it’s perfect for most of my travels. Things I love about it including the hook for hanging it up in the bathroom, saving previous sink space, the compartments with elasticated straps to stop your products rolling around, and how neatly it all folds up into itself. It even fits neatly inside this handy Antler backpack (now on sale) that I use for overnight stays in the city for work.

I use the smaller two sections for things like scrunchies, tweezers and cleansing clothes, and the larger two compartments for skincare and body care. They’re large enough to fit enough stuff for a good number of days away – including a full-size deodorant and shampoo. The only additional things I sometimes need to pack separately are sun creams (I’m very sun-sensitive and so go through a lot of them!).

My make-up also goes in another bag – one like this popular Space NK zip-up one – which fits neatly into corners of suitcases and stops my products from getting crushed.

Although not particularly fancy, this fold-up Amazon toiletries bag has lasted me years and travelled all over the world with me – and I won’t be without it now.

If you did want something a little fancier, perhaps as a nice gift idea, these velvet embroidered Elizabeth Scarlett bags are perfect for make-up, and open up flat for easy access.

And for something a little more compact and minimalist – perhaps for men – Antler’s Essential Washbag is now reduced from £25 to £20.

Dawn Morwood, co-director of Cheap Deals Away, has laid out all of the many reasons why she refuses to use complimentary toiletries when she is staying in hotels

A hotel insider has explained why she never used complimentary toiletries when travelling.

While hotel toiletries might seem like a convenient perk, Dawn Morwood, co-director of Cheap Deals Away, warns that what’s inside those bottles isn’t always what it appears to be. “Travellers often assume hotel toiletries are safe and fresh, but the reality can be quite different,” she explained.

Dawn says that when it comes to hotel amenities, it pays to be cautious. One of the biggest concerns is bottles that have been tampered with or refilled with cheaper alternatives.

“I’ve heard from travellers who’ve found bottles with broken seals or products that smell completely different from what the label suggests. Some hotels cut costs by refilling branded bottles with generic products, or worse, bottles that haven’t been properly cleaned between uses,” Dawn said.

The practice of refilling luxury-branded bottles with cheaper alternatives is more common than many travellers realise, particularly in budget accommodations looking to present an upscale image. Dawn claims that some hotels reuse containers without adequate cleaning. Dawn has encountered reports of bottles containing residue from previous guests’ use.

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“You might think you’re getting fresh product, but some hotels simply top up bottles rather than replacing them entirely. This creates a hygiene nightmare,” she added.

Hotels sometimes prioritise appearance over actual product quality, focusing on making the product look expensive and luxurious. “In some cases, the actual product will separate or change consistency, suggesting it’s been sitting there far longer than it should have,” Dawn said.

Dawn shares the red flags that should make you avoid hotel toiletries entirely:

1. Broken or missing seals: Check pump dispensers and bottle caps for signs of tampering. “If the seal looks damaged or there’s residue around the cap, don’t use it,” Dawn advises.

2. Unusual consistency or colour: Products that appear watery, lumpy, or discoloured are major warning signs. “Shampoo shouldn’t look like water, and lotion shouldn’t have chunks floating in it,” she says.

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3. Strange smells: “Trust your nose. If something smells off, chemical-like, or completely different from what you’d expect, step away.”

4. Sticky or grimy bottle exteriors: “Clean hotels maintain clean toiletry containers. If the outside of the bottle feels sticky or looks grimy, imagine what’s inside,” Dawn warns.

5. Generic or handwritten labels: Professionally branded products should have proper labelling. Handwritten labels or generic stickers are immediate red flags.

Dawn added: The safest approach is always to bring your own toiletries. Personal care products are exactly that – personal. Your skin and hair are used to specific formulations, so switching to unknown products can cause reactions even when they’re legitimate. But beyond that, you have complete control over quality and hygiene when you pack your own.

“I know the concern is always luggage weight, but there are smart ways around this. Invest in a set of travel-sized containers that meet airline regulations – usually 100ml or less. Decant your regular products into these before you travel.

“Alternatively, a lot of brands now offer travel miniatures of their full-size products. You can also look for solid alternatives like shampoo bars, which don’t count toward your liquid allowance and often last longer than you’d expect. The peace of mind is worth the small extra effort in packing.”

This one simple trick can save you a lot of time and effort when you open your luggage in your hotel and it only takes a matter of minutes to complete

Anyone packing miniature toiletries into their hand luggage have been told to perform one handy trick before zipping up their suitcase.

A group of Travel Insider writers for Qantas have divulged their best space-saving hacks for packing hand luggage. And this tip not only saves space but a potentially messy eruption.

“Squeeze air out of toiletries” urges one travel writer for passengers attempting to pack sunscreen and other lotions and liquids in their hand luggage. The hack even comes with a guarantee that “you’ll thank yourself later”.

“Is there anything worse than getting to your hotel only to find that half–empty tube of sunscreen has erupted in your bag?” the expert writes. “Squeeze any air out of your toiletries bottles before you travel to create a vacuum effect that sucks lids and caps on tight.”

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It only takes an extra minute while packing can save you from losing your costly creams or having to replace them on arrival at your destination. It can also protect your clothes or other items in your hand baggage from being ruined.

That said, another travel expert provides another great idea for those worried about travelling with their favourite products. “I save up all my skincare samples (online store Adore Beauty and Aesop are generous with theirs) so I have a full suite of products for any trip – it saves so much space and weight.”

In addition to being space and weight friendly, these samples will also help you stay under the 100mL limit at UK airports. The limit is still in place despite the installation of new state-of-the-art scanners in a number of UK airports.

The Department of Transport previously announced a “major shake-up of airport security rules” to better screen liquids and electrical items such as laptops. The security update was eagerly awaited by travellers as it would finally end the 100ml limit on liquids, aerosols and gels (LAG) for hand luggage.

The 100ml limit was initially implemented in 2006 after a foiled terror plot but was only ever meant to be a temporary measure. But slow progress to modernise security technology has seen the measure extended.

The driving force behind the more relaxed security update was the availability of new state-of-the-art security scanners that would be better equipped for passenger screening. The Computed Tomography (CT) scanners—the same technology used for medical scanners—are capable of creating 3D images of luggage to better detect potential threats.

The superiority of these scanners are one way that airports are striving to modernise in order to reduce passenger queue times. Initially, there was a June 2024 deadline for UK airports to integrate the new security measure but it was later extended to June 2025.

Because of the continued delay, all liquid containers must be kept in a single clear, resealable plastic bag. The bag should not exceed dimensions of 20cm x 20cm and must have a maximum capacity of one litre.

Only certain liquids, such as essential medications, liquids for specific dietary needs, and baby food or milk, are exempt from the 100ml limit.