Aldi has regained its position as the most economical supermarket in the UK. According to research conducted by consumer group Which?, a typical shopping list of 70 items at Aldi averaged £121.22 last month. This narrowly beat out Lidl, another German discount chain, which had been recognized as the cheapest in October with an average of £122.35 for the same items, or £1.13 more for members of its Lidl Plus loyalty program. On the other hand, Tesco’s 70-item list was pricier, although Clubcard members managed to save an average of £2.55, resulting in a total of £133.65 compared to £136.20.
Waitrose, the upscale supermarket, emerged as the most expensive option, averaging £166.79 for the same set of items. Families opting for Aldi or Waitrose for their entire shopping needs would save over £45. Which? routinely conducts this comparison exercise each month across eight different supermarket chains to analyze pricing for a range of groceries.
The 70-item shopping list comprises both store-brand products and popular branded items like Birds Eye peas, Hovis bread, as well as essentials such as milk and butter. Additionally, Which? compares a larger list of 183 groceries, excluding Aldi and Lidl due to their limited range of branded products. Asda was identified as the most economical choice for the bigger shopping list, with an average cost of £455.52 last month. The retailer has committed to reducing prices to recapture market share lost to competitors, including discount supermarkets.
As per Which?, Asda’s total bill was £9.71 less than if shoppers had opted for Tesco and utilized their Clubcard for the same items. Conversely, Waitrose was the priciest for the larger shopping list, totaling £522.91, which was £67.39 more than Asda. Waitrose also topped the charts as the most expensive for a smaller list of goods, averaging £166.79, 38% higher than Aldi, translating to a £45.57 difference.
Reena Sewraz, the retail editor at Which?, remarked, “While Aldi takes the lead as the most affordable supermarket this month, the ongoing competition between discounters means shopping at Lidl remains a compelling cost-saving choice according to our latest price analysis. For families concerned about food prices with Christmas approaching, our research emphasizes the importance of comparing prices across supermarkets, with potential savings of up to 27% by opting for one store over another.”