Aldi has regained its position as the most economical supermarket in the UK, according to recent research by consumer group Which?. The study compared the prices of a basket of 70 items at various supermarkets. Last month, the average cost of the items at Aldi was £121.22, making it slightly cheaper than Lidl, which came in at an average of £122.35, or £1.13 more for members of its loyalty scheme. Tesco’s prices were higher, with Clubcard members saving an average of £2.55, leading to a total of £133.65 compared to £136.20.
Waitrose emerged as the priciest option with an average total of £166.79 for the same items. Choosing to shop exclusively at Aldi or Waitrose could result in savings of over £45 for a family.
Which? conducts this comparison each month across eight different supermarket chains. The selection of 70 items includes both store-brand products and popular brands like Birds Eye and Hovis, along with essentials like milk and butter.
In a separate comparison of 183 items that excludes Aldi and Lidl due to their focus on fewer branded products, Asda was found to be the most affordable for the larger shopping list, averaging £455.52 last month. Asda aims to cut prices to regain market share lost to its competitors, including discount retailers.
Asda’s total was £9.71 lower than if shoppers had chosen Tesco and used their Clubcard for the same items, as per Which? analysis. On the other end of the spectrum, Waitrose was the most expensive for the larger shopping list, costing £522.91, or £67.39 more than Asda.
Reena Sewraz, the retail editor at Which?, commented that while Aldi was the cheapest for the month, Lidl also offers significant cost savings, emphasizing the importance of shopping around. As Christmas approaches, food prices will be a concern for many households, and selecting the right supermarket could save up to 27%.
The comparison of prices for 70 items showed Aldi leading at £121.22, followed by Lidl at £122.35 (including loyalty discounts), Asda at £133.59, Tesco at £133.65 (including loyalty discounts), Morrisons at £137.40, Sainsbury’s at £141.62, Ocado at £154.37, and Waitrose at £166.79. For the larger list of 183 items, Asda remained the most budget-friendly at £455.52, followed by Tesco at £465.23 (including loyalty discounts), Sainsbury’s at £471.84 (including loyalty discounts), Morrisons at £476.96 (including loyalty discounts), Morrisons at £478.96, Tesco at £497.01, Ocado at £501.03, Sainsbury’s at £507.24, and Waitrose at £522.91.