Consumer champion Which? has named Aldi the UK's cheapest supermarket for July, with a basket of 93 everyday items costing £158.05. The same shop at Tesco, even with Clubcard discounts, came to £188.45 — a difference of £30.40.
How the comparison was made
Which? compared the average cost of a basket containing 93 popular grocery staples, including own-label and branded goods such as milk, cheese, and Hovis bread, across major UK supermarkets: Asda, Morrisons, Ocado, Waitrose, Aldi, Lidl, Tesco, and Sainsbury's.
The analysis factored in special offers and loyalty scheme reductions where applicable, though multi-buy promotions were excluded. Which? withheld the full product list to prevent supermarkets from altering the findings.
Full July price table
- Aldi — £158.05
- Lidl — £160.70
- Asda — £185.81
- Sainsbury's (with Nectar) — £187.86
- Tesco (with Clubcard) — £188.45
- Morrisons — £195.63
- Tesco (without Clubcard) — £195.63
- Sainsbury's (without Nectar) — £197.85
- Ocado — £209.40
- Waitrose — £226.95
Loyalty schemes and premium prices
Lidl secured second place at £160.70, just £2.65 more than Aldi. Asda came third at £185.81, with Which? noting it remains among the most economical regardless of loyalty pricing.
Among loyalty schemes, Sainsbury's Nectar prices undercut Tesco's Clubcard by 59p. However, without a loyalty card, Sainsbury's jumped to £197.85 and Tesco to £195.63, placing them among the costliest.
At the premium end, Waitrose topped the price table at £226.95, which Which? said is "a staggering 44 per cent more expensive than Aldi for comparable items." Ocado was second most expensive at 32 per cent higher than Aldi.
Expert comment
Reena Sewraz, Which? Retail Editor, said: "While inflation remains stable for now, many households will be worried about prices going up in the coming months."
"The discounters are still the cheapest supermarkets, while Asda beats Sainsbury's and Tesco's loyalty scheme prices according to our analysis."
"When walking into one supermarket over another – or forgetting your loyalty card – can mean paying over 40 percent more for comparable everyday essentials, switching where you shop is still the fastest way to slash your weekly grocery bill."
Tesco has been approached for a response.
