Aldi has regained its position as the most economical supermarket in the UK. According to research conducted by consumer organization Which?, a typical shopping basket of 70 items at Aldi averaged £121.22 last month. This slight edge over Lidl, the previous titleholder in October, where the same products cost an average of £122.35, or £1.13 more for members of its Lidl Plus loyalty program. Tesco, on the other hand, was pricier, but Clubcard holders saved an average of £2.55, with a total of £133.65 compared to £136.20.
In contrast, Waitrose emerged as the priciest option, averaging £166.79 for the same set of items. Opting for either Aldi or Waitrose for all groceries would result in savings exceeding £45.
Which? conducts this comparison monthly, assessing the prices of a selection of items across eight supermarket chains. The list comprises both own-brand items and popular branded products like Birds Eye peas, Hovis bread, milk, and butter.
Additionally, Which? analyzes a larger list of 183 items that excludes Aldi and Lidl due to their limited range of branded goods. Asda emerged as the cheapest for this extensive shopping list, averaging £455.52 last month. Asda aims to lower prices to regain market share lost to competitors, including discount retailers.
For the larger shopping list, Asda’s total was £9.71 less than if shoppers had chosen Tesco and utilized their Clubcard. On the other hand, Waitrose appeared as the most expensive option for the big shop, costing £522.91, a difference of £67.39 compared to Asda.
Reena Sewraz, the retail editor at Which?, noted that while Aldi claimed the title of the cheapest supermarket for the month, Lidl remains a competitive option for cost-conscious consumers. As Christmas approaches, food prices are a concern for many households. Sewraz emphasized the importance of comparing prices across supermarkets, as choosing one over another could lead to significant savings of up to 27%.
The price comparison based on 70 items showed Aldi at £121.22, Lidl (including loyalty discount) at £122.35, Asda at £133.59, Tesco (including loyalty discount) at £133.65, Morrisons at £137.40, Sainsbury’s (including loyalty discount) at £137.77, Ocado at £154.37, and Waitrose at £166.79.
For the 183-item comparison, Asda led with an average of £455.52, followed by Tesco (including loyalty discount) at £465.23, Sainsbury’s (including loyalty discount) at £471.84, Morrisons (including loyalty discount) at £476.96, Morrisons at £478.96, Tesco at £497.01, Ocado at £501.03, Sainsbury’s at £507.24, and Waitrose at £522.91.
