Britain's supermarket scene is dominated by a handful of major players, including Tesco, Sainsbury's, Asda and Morrisons. Most shoppers remain loyal to one store out of routine and ease.
While Sainsbury's is usually my go-to, I occasionally venture elsewhere to see how the competition stacks up.
My first trip to Asda left me genuinely taken aback — I'd expected a broadly similar experience, but the price difference was striking. Countless everyday essentials came in noticeably cheaper, making the entire shop feel far kinder on my wallet.
Take Mr Kipling Cherry Bakewell Tarts 6 Pack, for instance — just £2 at my local Asda, and Mr Kipling Bakewell Cake Slices 6 Pack were £1.67.
Compare that to Sainsbury's, where the cherry bakewell tarts will set you back £3.75 and the cake slices £2.95 — a considerable difference.
A punnet of Asda Strawberries 400g came to £2.27, compared to £2.75 for the same size at Sainsbury's. What's more, the Asda strawberries were genuinely tastier than those I'd previously bought from Sainsbury's.
Crisps were also considerably cheaper at Asda, though my usual supermarket did offer a wider variety.
Walkers Quavers worked out slightly cheaper per quantity than Wotsits and Hula Hoops. Hula Hoops Cheese & Onion Multipack Crisps, a pack of six, cost £2.35 at my local Sainsbury's compared to just £1.84 at Asda.
Medium cheddar was marginally cheaper, and the oat drink I regularly buy was substantially less expensive — so I stocked up while I had the chance. Sainsbury's can occasionally be cheaper with a Nectar Card, though this isn't a regular occurrence.
Asda also runs its own loyalty scheme, but after looking into what's on offer, Nectar appears to offer shoppers better value overall.
Certain items were similarly priced or identical across both supermarkets, such as 12 medium free-range eggs and fresh chicken breast. However, the price differences on some products were hard to ignore.
Naturally, these prices are likely to fluctuate daily or weekly, but from now on, Asda will be the go-to destination for the weekly shop. And as an added bonus, you can fill up your car with petrol there too — at a considerably lower price.
