As the cost of the weekly food shop continues to rise, shoppers are keener than ever to ensure they are getting the best value for money.
To help households decide where to purchase the essentials, consumer group Which? has continued its ongoing analysis of the UK’s cheapest supermarkets, revealing the best value retailers every month.
Data from October shows some change amongst the best value shops, as reigning champion Aldi was dethroned by Lidl for the second time in recent months.
The supermarket was 54p cheaper at £120.46 on average across the month, compared to Aldi’s £121.
Price analysis by Which? looked at an average basket of 76 grocery shopping products across July, including both popular brands and own-brands.
The new figures show how tight the race is between the budget retailers, which continue to offer UK shoppers the best value for money.
While the two supermarkets continue to battle it out for the top spot, the competition has also heated up amongst fellow contenders. Long holding the top spot for a basket of 70 items, Tesco has now been overtaken by Asda, even when using its popular Clubcard.
At Tesco, the longer list of items with a Clubcard cost £133.38 (and £134.89 without), an increase of 69p compared Asda’s £132.69.
This was followed by Morrisons (£135.41), Sainsbury’s (£136.79 with Nectar card), and Ocado (£151.57).
Waitrose was the most expensive on average, with the bigger shop costing £541.55, an increase of £72.44 compared to Asda.
Asda also remains ahead of Tesco for a fuller basket of 187 items. This list at Asda cost £469.11, making it cheaper than Tesco with a Clubcard by £7 (£476.11).
Aldi and Lidl are not included in the fuller comparison as they have a smaller range of products compared to the other supermarkets, Which? explains.
Reena Sewraz, Which? Retail Editor, said: “Lidl has bagged the top spot as the UK’s cheapest supermarket for the second time in just a few months, according to our latest price analysis, showing that it can beat Aldi even for those who aren’t signed up to its discount scheme.
“The longer list of groceries shows that Asda continues to be one of the UK’s cheapest supermarkets and a good option for those who want to choose from a larger range of branded goods.
“High food prices are still a growing concern for many households, especially as we approach Christmas, but our analysis shows it pays to shop around; simply choosing one supermarket over another could save you 26 per cent.”
