Aldi reclaimed its position as the most economical supermarket in the UK, according to recent research by consumer group Which?. In a comparison of a shopping list comprising 70 items, Aldi came out on top with an average cost of £121.22 last month. This narrowly beat out Lidl, the previous titleholder in October, where the same items totaled an average of £122.35. Tesco, on the other hand, was pricier overall, but Clubcard members were able to save an average of £2.55, with a total cost of £133.65 versus £136.20.
In contrast, Waitrose emerged as the most expensive option, averaging £166.79 for the same list of items. Opting to shop exclusively at Aldi or Waitrose could result in savings of over £45 for a family.
Which? conducts this comparison monthly, evaluating the pricing of a selection of groceries across eight different supermarket chains. The list of 70 items includes both store-brand products and popular brands like Birds Eye and Hovis, along with essentials such as milk and butter.
Additionally, Which? compares a larger list of 183 groceries, excluding Aldi and Lidl due to their focus on fewer branded products. Asda stood out as the most cost-effective choice for this expanded shopping list, averaging £455.52 last month. The supermarket chain plans to reduce prices to counter competition from rivals, including discounters like Aldi and Lidl.
On the larger shopping list, Asda’s total was £9.71 cheaper than Tesco for the same items when factoring in Clubcard discounts, according to Which? On the other end of the spectrum, Waitrose was the priciest option, costing £522.91 for the larger list, which was £67.39 more than Asda. Waitrose also topped the price list for the smaller selection, averaging £166.79, representing a 38% difference compared to Aldi, equating to £45.57.
Reena Sewraz, Which? retail editor, highlighted Aldi as the most affordable supermarket this month, emphasizing that both Aldi and Lidl offer significant savings. As Christmas approaches, food prices are a concern for many households, making it crucial to compare options and potentially save up to 27% by choosing one supermarket over another.