Aldi has once again been named the UK’s cheapest supermarket, according to a recent analysis by consumer champion Which?. The study compared the cost of a basket containing 93 grocery items, combining both own-brand and branded products such as milk, cheese and Hovis sliced bread.
In July, the average cost of this shopping list at Aldi was £158.05, making it the most affordable option. Lidl followed closely behind at £160.70, just 2% more expensive.
Other supermarkets featured in the analysis revealed notable differences depending on loyalty schemes. Asda ranked third with an average price of £185.81, maintaining its position as one of the cheapest supermarkets even without loyalty cards.
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Sainsbury’s shoppers using Nectar cards paid an average of £187.86, narrowly edging out Tesco customers with Clubcard discounts, who spent £188.45 on average - a difference of just 59p. Both Morrisons and Tesco without a Clubcard tied with an average basket cost of £195.63.
However, for those not using loyalty cards, the cost at Sainsbury’s rose to £197.85, making it one of the pricier options and only cheaper than Ocado and Waitrose. Waitrose emerged as the most expensive supermarket overall, with an average basket price of £226.95 - a striking 44% higher than Aldi’s prices. Ocado was the second most expensive at £209.40, around 32% more than Aldi.
Reena Sewraz, Retail Editor at Which?, commented:
“While inflation remains stable for now, many households will be worried about prices going up in the coming months. The discounters are still the cheapest supermarkets, while Asda beats Sainsbury’s and Tesco’s loyalty scheme prices according to our analysis. When walking into one supermarket over another – or forgetting your loyalty card – can mean paying over 40 per cent more for comparable everyday essentials, switching where you shop is still the fastest way to slash your weekly grocery bill.”
The detailed price comparison highlights the considerable savings shoppers can make by choosing the right supermarket for their everyday groceries.