Brits pay less than Germans in Lidl

In the UK, we're used to paying more for the same products than foreign shoppers do - particularly since the threat of Brexit's hit the value of the pound.

But according to one retail expert's analysis, there's at least one supermarket where the reverse is true.

See also: Primark accused of charging Brits more than US shoppers

See also: Will Brexit mean higher prices and worse quality in supermarkets?

Martin Isark of consumer site Can I Eat It? has analysed the prices in Lidl stores here and in Germany, and says we Brits are getting the better bargain.

In Germany, for example, the store's own-brand muesli costs £2.54 a box, compared with just £1.69 in the UK. Meanwhile, a tin of baked beans that's 91p in Germany is just 29p here; and espresso coffee that costs £2.76 in Germany is £1.99 in UK stores.

"Over here, supermarket prices are driven down by the fierce competition from the Big Four - Sainsburys, Tesco, Asda and Morrisons - so Lidl has to go lower to compete," Mr Isark tells the Sun.

Eurostat research earlier this summer reveals that the UK, on average, pays some of the highest prices for goods and services compared with the rest of Europe.

While Switzerland is the most expensive country for food and non-alcoholic beverages, the UK is ninth on the list of 37 countries.

We're paying 25% more than countries such as Spain, for example, and twice as much as Turkey or Hungary for the same items.

And the higher prices don't end with food, with stores including Primark, Sports Direct, Ikea, Apple and Next having been called out for bumping up their prices in UK stores.

However, Lidl and fellow discount chain Aldi are something of a special case.

"In the UK, Lidl has the reputation of being as cheap as chips but in Germany they do not have the same competition, and so they are more expensive than their British shops and even more expensive in Germany than Waitrose is over here," says Mr Isark.

There is, though, one exception to the store's lower prices for Brits: booze is more expensive here, thanks to our much higher levels of alcohol duty.