THE country’s most affordable supermarket has been revealed and the winner may surprise you.
Shoppers could save £16.57 buying a basket of goods at the cheapest supermarket, compared to the most expensive, according to analysis by consumer group Which?.
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The monthly data compares the price of 44 popular items at eight of the biggest UK supermarkets to find where costs the most – and least.
And in October Lidl stole the crown as the cheapest shop with a basket costing £74.58 on average.
It is the first time in 16 months that Aldi has not been named top, although the discounter was only just behind with a basket cost of £74.75.
Waitrose was the most expensive shop, with a basket of groceries totalling £91.15 on average, which is 22 per cent more than Lidl – or a difference of £16.57.
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Here are the full rankings based on a basket of shopping (44 items)
- Lidl – £74.58
- Aldi – £74.75
- Asda – £82.11
- Tesco – £85.34
- Sainsbury’s – £85.88
- Morrisons – £86.35
- Ocado – £90.37
- Waitrose – £91.15
The consumer group also compared the cost of a larger trolley with 135 items .
This includes branded items, such as Andrex toilet paper and Cathedral City cheese, and did not include discounter supermarkets Aldi and Lidl because they don’t always stock these products.
Asda came out as cheapest for the trolley of groceries with a cost of £328.42 on average, beating the next cheapest, Morrisons, by £10.98.
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Waitrose was again the most expensive supermarket coming in at £378.08 which was £49.66 more expensive than Asda.
Sainsbury’s was second most expensive at £364.61 for those shopping without a Nectar card.
Here are the full rankings based on a trolley full of items (135 items)
- Asda – £328.42
- Morrisons – £339.40
- Ocado – £354.54
- Tesco – £358.08
- Sainsbury’s – £364.61
- Waitrose – £378.08
The data highlights how shoppers can make big savings just by changing where they buy their food.
However, the consumer group says many of the major supermarkets have not done enough to support their customers during the cost of living crisis.
For example, the grocery giants could make sure smaller convenience stores stock a range of essential budget lines that support a healthy diet, especially in areas where they are most needed.
And supermarkets must make sure unit pricing is clear so that customers can easily work out the best value products, including providing unit pricing on loyalty card prices, according to Which?.
The group is calling on the government to act now and work with supermarkets to make these changes.
It comes after Which? reported Tesco to the UK competition watchdog for what they said was “confusing” pricing on products with Clubcard prices.
Ele Clark from Which? says: “As millions continue to struggle with increased food prices and other high household bills, it is no surprise that many are turning to discounters for their food shop.
“Our latest research has found Lidl is the cheapest supermarket for a basket of groceries, narrowly beating Aldi.
“Which? believes that supermarkets can do much more to help shoppers during the current cost of living crisis.
“They must ensure everyone has easy access to basic, affordable food ranges at a store near them – and this includes providing a decent choice of budget-range, healthy essentials in smaller convenience stores.”
How can I save on my supermarket shop?
Shopping at cheaper supermarkets is just one way to save money on your food shopping.
You could also try making a list beforehand as you’ll be less likely to make any rash purchases.
Buying supermarkets’ own-brand goods instead of big name brands will also help slash costs.
Some supermarkets also run “wonky” veg schemes, where you pay less for fresh produce that’s misshapen or imperfect and still perfectly tasty.
For example, Lidl’s Waste Not scheme means you can get five kilos of fruit and veg for just £1.50.
Checking how much a product costs per unit is a handy way to find the best value.
Look at the price per kg/lb/litre so you’re making a like-for-like decision.
And when shopping, don’t forget about supermarket loyalty schemes, where you can build up points to spend on a later shop.
For example, Sainsbury’s has Nectar and Tesco has Clubcard.
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Plus, look out for yellow or red stickers on food products that show they’ve been reduced.
