THE UK’s cheapest supermarket for 2022 has been names by consumer group Which? -and it could save you over £30 on each shop.
Which? compared prices on thousands of products from eight supermarkets across the year.
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It looked at how much each shop was charging for everyday items including bread, milk and eggs.
It found Aldi was the cheapest supermarket for seven consecutive months from June to December while Lidl was the cheapest from January to May.
The consumer champion also looked at the cheapest supermarket for a basket of 48 goods in December, and Aldi came out on top again.
A basket at the German discounter cost £81.63 compared to next cheapest Lidl, where it was £83.24.
Meanwhile, Waitrose was consistently the most expensive supermarket across the 12 months.
In December, a basket of 48 goods there cost £112.62, more than £30 more expensive than Aldi.
The full results were as follows:
- Aldi – £81.63
- Lidl – £83.24
- Tesco – £93.42 (not reflecting Clubcard prices)
- Asda – £93.44
- Sainsbury’s – £95.71
- Morrisons – £97.12
- Ocado – £102.87
- Waitrose – £112.62
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Which? also looked at the price of a trolley of 149 goods, filled with a wider selection of products including Andrex toilet paper and Cathedral City cheddar cheese.
Lidl and Aldi were not included in the big shop comparison as the same items aren’t always available there.
Asda came out on top in December, as it has done every month for the last three years.
The trolley costed £355.62 while Waitrose was the most expensive option at £406.95 – over £50 difference.
The next cheapest supermarket for a bigger trolley of goods was Sainsbury’s – you would have paid £368.97 there in December.
The full results were as follows:
- Asda – £355.62
- Sainsbury’s – £368.97
- Tesco – £375.97 (not reflecting Clubcard prices)
- Morrisons – £377.81
- Ocado – £386.68
- Waitrose – £406.95
Reena Sewraz, Which? retail editor, said: “With food and drink prices putting huge pressure on household budgets, it’s no surprise to see many people turning to discounters like Aldi and Lidl when our research shows they could save up to £31 on a typical shop.”
It’s worth bearing in mind the analysis from Which? is done on a basket of goods at a specific time.
Prices frequently change and many supermarkets have items on offer and you should always shop around for the best deals.
For example, Which’s? analysis doesn’t factor in Tesco Clubcard prices.
Around 75% of sales at Tesco stores are made through Clubcard.
If you want to find out how much a certain product compares in terms of price, you can use comparison sites like trolley.co.uk.
The Sun approached Lidl, Sainsbury’s and Ocado for comment.
A Waitrose spokesperson said: “Our range gives our customers great value, while continuing to deliver outstanding quality, industry-leading animal welfare standards, fresh produce grown with care and fair deals for farmers.
“Which’s price comparison excludes multibuy offers which are extremely popular amongst our customers for both our branded and own-branded products.”
An Asda spokesperson said: “Asda has a long standing reputation for providing outstanding value and as the Which? survey shows, customers that do their big shop with us will always pay the lowest prices.
“We’re committed to ensuring that Asda remains the best value traditional supermarket – while introducing new value initiatives such as Asda Rewards that can make an immediate difference to customer budgets.”
A Tesco spokesperson said: “With household budgets under increasing pressure, we are absolutely committed to helping our customers by keeping a laser focus on the cost of the weekly shop.
“Whether it’s price matching Aldi on the basics, locking the price of more than a thousand household staples until Easter 2023, or offering exclusive deals and rewards through thousands of Clubcard Prices – we’re more committed than ever to providing our customers with great value.”
A Morrisons spokesperson said: “We are working hard to keep prices down and competitive for our customers while maintaining high standards and availability in all our stores.
“Since December we have invested over £16 million to cut the prices on over 50 per cent of our entry level products to help customers’ money go further particularly during the January squeeze.”
How else can I save on my supermarket shop?
Beyond heading to the cheapest supermarket, there are other ways you can cut back on shopping costs.
Some of them could save you hundreds on your yearly food bills too.
Making a list before you head out to do your food shopping is always a good start.
You’ll be less likely to make any rash purchases or be enticed in by unwanted offers.
You could try “downshifting” too, which involves going for supermarkets’ own brand goods.
This means avoiding “finest” or “luxury” ranges and going for “value” or “essential”-type items.
Martin Lewis says the trick could save you around 30% on your yearly shopping bill.
Some supermarkets run “wonky” veg schemes as well, where you pay less for fresh produce that’s misshapen or imperfect.
And the food is perfectly fine to eat.
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.
In other news, shoppers have been rushing to buy an Argos air fryer that can fit a whole chicken.
Plus, why you should always look for misspelt eBay listings and other tricks to get items for just 1p.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing [email protected]
