The cheapest supermarket for buying a basket of groceries in June has been revealed and it’s £17 cheaper than its most expensive rival.
Consumer group Which? found that shoppers could save over £16 shopping at Aldi compared to the most expensive supermarket.
1
The analysis is done on a monthly basis and involves comparing the average prices of a shop consisting of popular groceries at eight of the UK’s biggest supermarkets.
The research found that a basket of goods at Aldi cost £75.25 on average across the month.
Lidl came in a close second with a difference of £1.93 (£77.18).
Waitrose was the most expensive again this month, with a basket of goods totalling £91.80, which is 22% more than Aldi – a difference of £16.55.
Here are the full rankings based on a basket of shopping (42 items)
- Aldi – £75.25
- Lidl – £77.18
- Asda – £82.55
- Tesco – £82.67
- Sainsbury’s – £83.46
- Morrisons – £85.98
- Ocado – £89.20
- Waitrose – £91.80
The consumer group also compared the cost of a larger trolley of 134 items – the original 42 plus 92 more.
These items included a larger number of branded items, such as Andrex toilet paper and Cathedral City cheese.
The bigger comparison did not include discounter supermarkets Aldi and Lidl, as they do not always stock some of these products.
Most read in Money
This month, Asda was the cheapest for this larger trolley of groceries, a title it has held since January 2020.
In June 2023, it cost £333.16 on average for this shop, beating the next cheapest, Morrisons (£343.41), by £10.25.
Waitrose was an eye-watering £36.73 more expensive than Asda, coming in at £369.89, on average, for the trolley of comparable goods – 11% more.
Here are the full rankings based on a trolley full of items (134 items)
- Asda – £333.16
- Morrisons – £343.41
- Tesco – £353.37
- Sainsbury’s – £356.15
- Ocado – £359.19
- Waitrose – £369.89
This latest pricing analysis from Which? demonstrates that shoppers can make considerable savings on their groceries depending on where they buy their food.
However, even budget ranges at the discounters are rising in price significantly.
And according to the consumer group, traditional supermarkets’ convenience are stores failing to offer or stock budget lines.
While Which? has found that some good practice exists, they believe that many of the major supermarkets have not done enough to support their customers during the cost of living crisis.
They argue supermarkets could be doing more by ensuring smaller convenience stores stock a range of essential budget lines that support a healthy diet.
They also say stores should make sure that their pricing is clear so that customers can easily work out the best value products.
And this should include providing unit pricing on loyalty card prices.
At the beginning of the month, the consumer group reported supermarket giant Tesco to the UK competition watchdog for what they said was “confusing” pricing on products with Clubcard prices.
While some of the supermarkets have engaged with the consumer champion as part of its Affordable Food For All campaign, it claims that action has been extremely limited.
Ele Clark, Which? retail editor, said: “Millions of people are struggling during the worst cost of living crisis in decades, and our research shows why many shoppers are turning to discounters like Aldi and Lidl.
“Which? believes that supermarkets are currently falling short when it comes to helping shoppers.
“They have a responsibility to ensure everyone has easy access to basic, affordable food ranges at a store near them, and to provide transparent and comparable pricing so people can easily work out which products offer the best value.”
How can I save on my supermarket shop?
It’s not just about heading to the cheapest supermarket to save money on your shop.
There’s a number of ways you can cut costs and drive down your grocery bills.
Making a list before you head out to do your food shopping is always a good start as you’ll be less likely to make any rash purchases.
Buying supermarkets’ own-brand goods instead of higher-end more notable brands could save you a few pounds too.
Some supermarkets run “wonky” veg schemes, where you pay less for fresh produce that’s misshapen or imperfect.
Lidl, for example, has its Waste Not scheme where you can get a whopping five kilos of fruit and veg for just £1.50.
Checking how much a product costs based on quantity could save you some money.
You might be tempted to opt for a bigger box or packaging because you think you will get more.
But you should always check the price per kg/lb/litre so you’re making a like-for-like decision.
A lot of supermarkets run loyalty schemes, where you can build up points to spend on a later shop.
For example, Sainsbury’s has its Nectar Card and Tesco has its Clubcard.
Plus, look out for yellow or red stickers on food products that show they’ve been reduced.
