The New RTÉ Show That Could Change How You Shop Every Week

If you’ve stood at a supermarket checkout in the last couple of years watching the total tick up and quietly thinking that cannot be right, you’re not imagining it. Ireland’s average grocery bill for a family of four has risen by as much as €3,000 per year since 2020. That’s not a small number. That’s a family holiday. That’s months of creche fees. That’s a lot of dinners.

Which is exactly why a new two-part RTÉ documentary, How to Shop Well Now, feels so timely. Presented by journalist Claire Brock and author and content creator Sophie Morris, the series goes behind the supermarket shelves to unpick the hidden forces driving up the cost of our weekly shop — and more importantly, to find out what we can actually do about it.

The first episode airs this Monday 5th October at 9.35pm on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player, landing on the eve of the Budget 2027 announcement, which feels about as pointed as television scheduling gets.

What’s Claire uncovering in the aisles?

Claire Brock is taking on the supermarket itself — the layout, the psychology, the quiet nudges that have us reaching for things we didn’t put on the list. She’ll be looking at how Ireland’s supermarket system actually works, from loyalty card schemes to online shopping habits, and pulling together a toolkit of tricks to help shoppers navigate more smartly. If you’ve ever walked in for bread and milk and left €90 lighter, this is going to feel very personal.

In episode two, airing on Monday 12th October, Claire turns taste tester to find out whether branded products are genuinely worth the premium over their own-label equivalents. It’s the kind of investigation that could legitimately change how you shop.

Sophie’s going straight to the source

Sophie Morris usually shares her supermarket finds online, but for this series she’s gone a good bit further. She’ll be meeting food producers from across Ireland — farmers, growers, suppliers — to understand why the cost of getting food from field to fridge has become so volatile.

Claire Brock and Sophie Morris are on a mission to help Irish shoppers spend smarter.

From beef to chocolate to the bread you buy every single week, the series examines the volatility rippling through food supply chains right now. There’s a striking statistic buried in the documentary’s background research: Ireland exports around 90% of the food it grows and produces, yet imports up to 80% of the food consumed here. As an island nation exposed to climate change and geopolitics, that’s a precarious position — and the series doesn’t shy away from asking whether something more fundamental needs to change.

Why this feels like essential viewing for Irish families

There’s a version of this kind of documentary that feels preachy — all wagging fingers and “have you tried not buying coffee?” This doesn’t sound like that. Between Claire’s consumer-facing investigation and Sophie’s producer-level access, the series seems to be genuinely interested in the full picture: why prices are rising, who’s affected, and what realistic options exist for families trying to manage it.

With Budget 2027 dropping the same week, it feels like the right conversation to be having right now. Set a reminder for Monday night — the kids will (hopefully) be in bed by 9.35pm and this one’s worth watching.

How to Shop Well Now airs on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player on Monday 5th October and Monday 12th October, both at 9.35pm.