Why is the food in the EUSA shops so expensive for what it is?

Let’s face it, we’re students and all we want during a long camp out at the library is some quick and easy food to get us through to that next snack break. The easiest option is undoubtedly a meal deal, which covers all your basic nutrients for the day. You’ve got your main, either a wrap or a sandwich, then a snack, maybe crisps or some form of chocolate to curb those cravings, and a drink of water or coke to stay hydrated.

You can get your meal deal from pretty much every shop in town, so why is it that one of our most convenient shops, the Potterrow Shop on campus, is so bloody expensive??

In Tesco, I can get a delicious and nutritious hoisin duck wrap, with a packet of crisps and a bottle of lemon and lime water, for only three whole pounds, and what a satisfying meal that makes.

Amazing selection of wraps and sandwiches, 10/10 Tesco

Yet when I walk into the Potterrow shop when I finally get a break from classes way after lunch time should be, I am greeted by a poor selection of sandwiches and bland wraps that have been made to resemble something tasty by the use of food colouring. The drinks and snack selection isn’t bad, but seriously lacking in the variety that supermarkets have.

Not worth £2.89

The meal deals at shops on campus are supposed to start at £2.80 for vegetarian meal deals, but as for what prices, or what’s actually included in the higher priced meal deals remains a mystery, as its easy to end up spending waaay more than £3, for a shitty knock off meal deal that is in no way appetising. Even Sainsbury’s, one of the more expensive of supermarkets, does a cheaper meal deal than the EUSA shops.

Great selection of bevs

As well as the obviously overpriced food selection that the EUSA shops offers, there seems to be dramatically better choices at the Pollock Halls shop, offering a range of (way more appetising) food from Ginsters. Let’s be real, a sausage roll is much better study fuel than a boring wrap, but unfortunately these are only available in the Pollock shop.

delish

Teviot and Potterrow aren’t much better in terms of food prices either. The only upside is that they serve hot food, which is actually pretty good quality (ahem, did someone say nachos?) however its not really a quick snack, more of a sit down meal which is not ideal when you’ve left all your stuff in the library hoping nobody chucks it all out the way while you’re on your well deserved break.

sad sad food selection

Overall, the quick food offered on campus, like meal deals, are sad knock offs of what is offered at Tesco and Sainsbury’s, and really for a University that is pretty damn loaded, we should be receiving better food than stuff that looks a week old or has been left in a damp room for ages.

I guess we’re lucky that we do have a Tesco and a Sainsbury’s so close to our campus then.