Asda has been named the UK's cheapest supermarket for branded groceries for the sixth consecutive month, according to new research from consumer watchdog Which?. The full basket of 224 popular branded items cost an average of £769.80 at Asda throughout July, making it the most competitively priced supermarket overall.
Price Disparities and Loyalty Cards
Which? found price disparities of up to 159% on the same everyday household staples across major supermarkets. The analysis covered items including Heinz beans, Nescafé coffee, and Mr Kipling cakes. Aldi and Lidl were excluded from this comparison because they do not stock a sufficiently wide range of branded products, though Which? noted it regularly finds them to be the cheapest supermarkets overall in its monthly price comparisons.
Tesco with a Clubcard (£781.07), Morrisons with More (£799.24), and Sainsbury's with a Nectar card (£801.48) were the next most affordable options. However, shoppers without loyalty cards faced considerably steeper prices, with Tesco (£873.66) and Sainsbury's (£881.88) both proving more costly than Waitrose (£851.82) and Ocado (£821.29). Shopping at Sainsbury's without a Nectar card was the most expensive option, coming in at nearly 15% more than Asda.
Individual Product Price Gaps
Listerine Total Care Clean Mint Antibacterial Mouthwash (500ml) recorded the greatest price disparity, cheapest at Asda (£2.31) and most expensive at Sainsbury's and Tesco without a loyalty card (£6), a difference of 159%. Several other products, including Oral-B Pro Expert Toothpaste, Starbucks Frappuccino Mocha Chocolate Flavoured Milk Iced Coffee, and Mr Kipling Fruit Pie Selection, were priced at roughly double the cost at the most expensive supermarket compared with the cheapest when purchased without loyalty cards.
During the month analysed, Sainsbury's had 155 products on loyalty promotion, followed by Tesco with 143 and Morrisons with just seven. None of the products examined were subject to loyalty pricing at Waitrose, while Asda and Ocado do not operate member-only pricing in the same manner.
Consumer Advice
Which? noted that while loyalty cards can deliver considerable savings, some shoppers remain reluctant or unable to take part owing to concerns over data privacy or eligibility criteria. Natalie Hitchins, Which? head of home products and services, said: "With many households still facing intense financial strain and bracing for predicted price hikes in the coming months, every penny counts and Asda is the most consistent for affordable branded goods." She added: "Our research has previously found that some branded items are so frequently on offer that shoppers should never actually pay full price for them. To avoid being caught out, consumers should try to look out for big price fluctuations, compare value across different products, and check rival retailers to ensure they are getting a genuine deal."
Supermarket Responses
A Sainsbury's spokesperson said: "We have not been able to verify the calculations used by Which? as the group has not shared its full analysis. However, our customers know they can get great value by using a Nectar card when they shop with us, which is why 85% of our sales involve one. We remain focused on offering outstanding value on the products people buy most often, with more than 10,000 Nectar Price offers available every week on top of personalised Your Nectar Prices."
A spokesperson for Tesco said: "Clubcard prices unlock the best value at Tesco with thousands of deals in store and online each week. With more than 80% of sales at Tesco involving a Clubcard, most Tesco shoppers are already taking advantage of the great savings that Clubcard provides."
