UK’s cheapest supermarket revealed

Aldi has yet again been named the cheapest supermarket in the UK, with an average household basket full of groceries and other essentials coming in at £121.06 on average in March.

However, Lidl is a close second as the same basket would cost shoppers £122.95 at the discount retailer, according to consumer group Which?. The difference is less than £2.

The same grocery run at Waitrose was £158.52 on average — that is over £37 more than at Aldi.

The same items cost £138.31 at Asda, £139.23 at Tesco (TSCO.L), £143.48 at Sainsbury’s (SBRY.L), £145.19 at Morrisons and £148.18 at Ocado (OCDO.L).

Ele Clark, Which? retail editor, said: “Our latest monthly analysis has once again seen Aldi maintain its position as the UK’s cheapest supermarket. Given the ongoing strain food prices are putting on household budgets, it comes as no surprise that many people are shopping with the discounters to save money. This is particularly understandable given consumers could save almost £40 simply by switching supermarket.”

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The list of 71 items included branded items, such as Dolmio pasta sauce, Heinz baked beans and Hovis bread, as well as supermarket own items, including milk and butter. Special offers were included, but any multi-buys or two-tier prices for loyalty schemes were not.

Food price inflation slowed to its lowest rate in two years in March, according to the British Retail Consortium (BRC) shop price index. Food prices were up 3.7% compared to the previous year – down from 5% in February.

The BRC said that dairy products had dropped in price, but Easter treats were more expensive than in previous years due to high cocoa and sugar costs.

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Julie Ashfield, managing director of Buying at Aldi UK, said: “Our continued position as the UK’s Cheapest Supermarket in 2024 is one we’re very proud of. At Aldi, we've pledged to cut more prices than ever before in 2024 and this is just part of our commitment to ensure we keep supporting customers. It’s great to consistently have this recognised by a highly respected consumer champion, such as Which?.”

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