THE cheapest supermarket in the UK has once again been crowned – and it could save you £41 on a big shop.
Consumer champion Which? compared supermarket prices in September.
Which? compared eight chains and 149 items – including branded items, such as Andrex toilet paper and Cathedral City cheese.
It found the best place to go for a big shop was Asda, where the items cost a total of £343.38.
Discount supermarkets Aldi and Lidl were not included in the big shop comparison, as the same items aren’t always available there.
It meant Asda continued its streak as the cheapest traditional supermarket, which started in January 2020.
The runner-up was Sainsbury’s, where the total came in at £353.15 for the 149 items – £9.77 more than at Asda.
Meanwhile, Waitrose was £41.13 more expensive than Asda, coming in at £384.51 on average for the same trolley of goods.
The full results were as follows:
- Asda – £343.38
- Sainsbury’s – £353.15
- Tesco – £368.26
- Morrisons – £370.77
- Ocado – £383.77
- Waitrose – £384.51
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It’s important to note that the analysis is done just on the basket of goods at the time – prices frequently change and many supermarkets have items on offer.
You should always shop around to see what deals are out there.
You can look up items yourself online before heading to a store, or by using handy comparison websites like trolley.co.uk.
Cheapest place for a smaller shop
Which? also did an analysis of how much it costs to do a smaller shop of 48 items, including Heinz baked beans, milk and tea bags.
In this case, the two main discounters were included and they were a clear winner and runner-up.
Aldi was the cheapest overall, with the Which? shop costing £75.61 on average.
This marks its fourth consecutive win in the monthly comparison.
Aldi beat rival supermarket Lidl by £1.84, where the basket of goods cost £77.45.
Meanwhile, Waitrose came last once again working out as £23.79 more expensive than Aldi.
The full results were:
- Aldi – £75.61
- Lidl – £77.45
- Asda – £84.87
- Sainsbury’s – £86.34
- Tesco – £87.37
- Morrisons – £94.38
- Ocado – £95.51
- Waitrose – £99.40
Danielle Richardson, Which? money expert, said: “Our monthly price analysis shows that shoppers could save almost £25 on a typical food shop of basic items such as milk, teabags and baked beans if they opt for the cheapest supermarket, so it really does pay to shop around if at all possible.
“Avoiding smaller convenience stores, opting for budget ranges and sticking to a shopping list are all ways to help you save money on your groceries.”
She added that shoppers can also bulk buy, look for yellow reduced stickers and either batch cook or freeze to avoid food waste in order to save.
A spokesperson for Waitrose told The Sun: “We’re working hard to make sure we offer great value, while continuing to deliver industry-leading animal welfare standards, fresh produce grown with care and fair deals for farmers.
“For instance, our Waitrose Essential range is popular with customers looking for outstanding value and quality.”
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There are lots of other ways you can reduce the cost of your shop too.
Plus, a shopping expert has revealed how she cuts her grocery bill by £160 a month.
