Aldi has regained its position as the most affordable supermarket in the UK, surpassing Lidl, according to the latest supermarket price analysis conducted by Which?. In August 2025, a shopping list of 75 items at Aldi averaged £127.92, making it 38p cheaper than the same list at Lidl, which cost £128.30 on average with its loyalty program, Lidl Plus.

Despite being the least expensive supermarket in July, Lidl slipped to second place this month. The comparison included a mix of branded and own-brand items, such as Birds Eye Peas, Hovis bread, milk, and butter.

Tesco Clubcard members spent an average of £142.36, while non-members paid £145.01 for the same items. Sainsbury’s Nectar cardholders paid an average of £144.75, while those without the card spent £149.02 for the listed items.

For a more extensive list of 190 items, Asda maintained its position as the most budget-friendly supermarket this month. Aldi and Lidl were excluded from this comparison due to their smaller product range. The larger shopping list at Asda averaged £474.86, which was £11.03 cheaper than Tesco with a Clubcard (£485.89).

Waitrose emerged as the priciest option for both smaller and larger shopping lists, with the smaller list costing £172.61 and the bigger one totaling £548.14.

Reena Sewraz, Which? Retail Editor, commented, “Aldi has reclaimed its title as the UK’s most economical supermarket for August, offering great value without membership fees. Asda stands out as the cheapest mainstream supermarket for larger grocery hauls, outperforming Tesco, Sainsbury’s, and Morrisons. With increasing expenses as the season changes, households can find savings by shopping smartly, potentially saving up to 35%.”

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Aldi has integrated InPost Lockers into over 500 of its stores in the United Kingdom. These lockers enable customers to conveniently retrieve and return online purchases while they shop at the supermarket. The introduction of InPost lockers spans across 536 Aldi stores in England, Scotland, and Wales.

The supermarket chain is planning to expand the availability of these lockers to more stores in the upcoming months, with a target of having at least 600 stores equipped with lockers by the end of the year. This initiative aligns with Aldi’s goal to enhance customer convenience and efficiency.

According to Jonathan Neale, the Managing Director of National Real Estate at Aldi UK, the addition of InPost lockers aims to save customers time and money by facilitating parcel pickups and returns alongside their regular shopping routine.

Neil Kuschel, the CEO of InPost UK, emphasized the collaborative effort between InPost and Aldi to enhance the overall shopping experience for customers nationwide. Together, they are striving to offer a more convenient, cost-effective, and sustainable solution for managing parcels, ensuring easy access to collection and returns.

In a separate development, Aldi has released a revised list of priority locations in the UK for potential new store openings. The company is seeking sites that can accommodate stores of specific sizes with adequate parking and accessibility. Additionally, Aldi is scouting locations in Central London for its Aldi Local store format.

For individuals with sites that may meet Aldi’s requirements for new stores, they are encouraged to reach out via email to realestateacquisitions@aldi.co.uk. This expansion initiative forms part of Aldi’s substantial £650 million investment this year, as the company aims to reach its long-term target of operating 1,500 stores in the UK.

Furthermore, Aldi has implemented a pay increase for its store assistants earlier this year, with hourly rates rising to a minimum of £12.75 and £14.05 within the M25. The company has committed to further pay raises for store colleagues starting September 2025, elevating minimum hourly rates to £12.85 nationally and £14.16 within the M25.

September has arrived, bringing with it upcoming financial adjustments that will impact your finances in the coming month. Parents can look forward to an extension of the free childcare scheme, while deadlines for the Winter Fuel Payment and Ofgem price cap loom on the horizon.

For working parents with nine-month-old children, the availability of 30 hours of free childcare weekly has expanded, doubling the previous allocation. To qualify for this benefit, individuals must earn at least the national minimum wage for 16 hours per week on average, with an annual income below £100,000.

Additionally, all parents of three and four-year-olds are entitled to 15 free childcare hours weekly, regardless of employment status. However, working parents of children in this age group can claim the full 30 hours if they meet the income requirements.

First Direct customers will transition to online savings account statements starting September 1, discontinuing paper statements. Customers wishing to receive paper statements can adjust their settings within the First Direct app under “my details” and “statement preferences.”

In other news, NatWest is set to close 26 branches, Halifax 13 branches, and Lloyds one branch in September, reflecting a trend of bank closures due to increased online banking adoption. Eligible individuals for the Winter Fuel Payment will receive automatic payments, although some may need to apply starting in mid-September by post or phone.

Further updates include the release of inflation data by the Office for National Statistics on September 17, showing a rise to 3.8%. The Bank of England will announce its next interest rates decision on September 18, with the current base rate at 4%, impacting borrowing costs.

Looking ahead, energy bills are slated to increase on October 1, with the energy price cap rising to £1,755 annually. It is advisable to take a meter reading around September 30 to avoid overpayment for energy usage pre-update.