One Below, the discount chain with the strapline “everything £1 or less”, has begun selling products for more than £1.
The variety discounter is advertising products costing over £1 on social media, including Naughty Elf and Christmas Gonk dolls at £2 each, and earmuffs for £1.50.
One Below was founded in 2019 by the father and son duo who created Poundworld, both called Chris Edwards. The £1 or less promise featured on the store banner, but on recent openings the message has become “4,000 products £1 or less”.
The same change has been made to One Below’s branding on social media.
The move has not been missed by Facebook users. “Can I ask why you’re slowly increasing prices?” wrote one. “Less and less at £1 and more and more above a £1. Going like Poundworld and Poundland.”
The Edwards launched the chain on the premise there was still life in the £1 discount model, despite the demise of Poundworld in 2018 under then-owners TPG Capital.
With Poundland already selling products for up to £5 in 2019, the Edwards aimed to have a point of difference over the competition. “One Below will be the only name on the high street offering everything it sells for either £1 or less,” Edward Sr said at the time.
However, with prices starting as low as 29p, the model was also designed so One Below could sell a wide range of fmcg without being undercut by multi-price discounters such as B&M.
The chain has since grown to about 80 stores, mainly in the north and Midlands, fed by a warehouse in Darton, Barnsley.
Since One Below’s arrival, Poundland has moved further from its fixed-price origins, introducing a range of new price points up to £10, while extending its fmcg range and rolling out chilled and frozen food. It has also rolled out new homeware ranges from its sister brand Pep&Co.
One Below was approached for comment.
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