Aldi has been crowned as the most budget-friendly supermarket in 2025 by consumer advocates at Which?. Which? conducts daily monitoring of grocery prices and discloses the most economical stores on a monthly basis. Aldi emerged as the most economical supermarket for ten out of 12 months in 2025, solidifying its position as the United Kingdom’s most cost-effective supermarket for the fifth consecutive year.
In December, Aldi topped the list for a selection of 68 items, with an average total cost of £123.60 throughout the month. Lidl followed closely in second place, with a mere 10p difference in December, averaging £123.70 for both Lidl Plus members and non-members.
Lidl claimed the title of the most budget-friendly supermarket twice in the previous year, in July and October, with just a 77p average monthly price variance compared to Aldi throughout the year.
For the same set of 68 items at Asda, the average expense was £134.89 in December, while Tesco Clubcard holders would have spent £135.84, or £139.12 without a Clubcard.
Sainsbury’s Nectar cardholders would have paid £141.45, or £143.74 without a Nectar card, while Waitrose emerged as the priciest supermarket for the 68-item list, totaling £170.46 in December.
Which? research unveiled that Waitrose cost on average 35% more than Aldi over the course of 2025. Additionally, Which? evaluated the cost of a more extensive weekly shopping list comprising 180 items.
Aldi and Lidl were excluded from this comparison due to their narrower product range. Asda stood out as the most economical option in December for the larger list of 180 items, averaging a bill of £450.82.
Which? discovered that Tesco Clubcard holders would have spent an average of £462 in December for the same items, while Tesco customers without a Clubcard would have paid £493.53.
The expenditure for a shopper at Morrisons was £466.04 with a loyalty discount, or £467.46 without it. Sainsbury’s Nectar cardholders would have incurred a cost of £468.61, whereas non-members would have paid £501.89.
Waitrose also appeared as the priciest supermarket for the larger shopping list, with an average bill of £529.17. The analysis by Which? considers special offers and loyalty prices, but excludes multi-buy deals.
Reena Sewraz, the Retail Editor at Which?, commented that Aldi’s consistent performance illustrates why it has retained the title of the UK’s most economical supermarket for five consecutive years.
Sewraz added, “While Lidl remains a strong competitor among discount retailers and a viable option for budget-conscious shoppers, Aldi consistently offered the most competitive prices across most months.”
She emphasized that Asda remains a solid choice for consumers seeking a wider range of branded products at affordable prices. With food expenses remaining a significant concern for many households, Sewraz advised consumers to compare different supermarkets as choosing one over another could lead to substantial savings over a year.