Aldi has regained its position as the most affordable supermarket in the UK. According to a recent study by consumer group Which?, a basket of 70 essential items at Aldi averaged £121.22 last month, edging out Lidl by just £1.13. Tesco, while pricier overall, offered savings to Clubcard members, with an average cost of £133.65 compared to £136.20 for non-members.
On the other end of the spectrum, Waitrose emerged as the most expensive, with an average total of £166.79 for the same items. Families opting for Aldi or Waitrose for their shopping needs could save over £45.
Which? conducts this comparison monthly, analyzing the pricing of key items across eight supermarket chains. The basket of 70 items includes both store-branded products and popular brands like Birds Eye and Hovis.
Aldi and Lidl were excluded from a larger list of 183 items due to their focus on fewer branded products. Asda stood out as the most budget-friendly for this extensive shopping list, averaging £455.52 last month. Asda’s commitment to price reductions aims to recapture market share from competitors, including discount retailers.
For the larger shopping list, Asda also outperformed other supermarkets, costing £9.71 less than Tesco for the same items. Waitrose, known for its premium offerings, was the priciest for the bigger shopping list at £522.91.
Reena Sewraz, retail editor at Which?, emphasized the ongoing competition between Aldi and Lidl, highlighting Asda’s affordability for a broader range of branded goods. With Christmas approaching, household budgets are a concern, making it crucial to compare prices across supermarkets for potential savings of up to 27%.
The price breakdown for the 70 essential items is as follows: Aldi – £121.22, Lidl (with loyalty discount) – £122.35, Lidl – £122.40, Asda – £133.59, Tesco (with loyalty discount) – £133.65, Tesco – £136.20, Morrisons – £137.40, Sainsbury’s (with loyalty discount) – £137.77, Sainsbury’s – £141.62, Ocado – £154.37, Waitrose – £166.79.
For the larger shopping list of 183 items, the costs were: Asda – £455.52, Tesco (with loyalty discount) – £465.23, Sainsbury’s (with loyalty discount) – £471.84, Morrisons (with loyalty discount) – £476.96, Morrisons – £478.96, Tesco – £497.01, Ocado – £501.03, Sainsbury’s – £507.24, Waitrose – £522.91.