Asda has been named the UK's cheapest supermarket for branded groceries for the sixth consecutive month, according to consumer champion Which?. The research found that shoppers can pay more than double for identical products depending on where they shop and whether they use a loyalty card.
Price Differences of Up to 159%
Which? analyzed 224 popular branded groceries—including Heinz beans, Nescafé coffee, and Mr Kipling cakes—and found price differences of up to 159% between the same items in major supermarkets in July. Asda's basket averaged £769.80, making it the cheapest overall.
Aldi and Lidl were not included in this branded grocery analysis because they do not stock a sufficiently wide range of branded products, but Which? said it regularly finds them to be the cheapest supermarkets overall in its monthly price comparisons.
Loyalty Card Impact
Tesco with a Clubcard (£781.07), Morrisons with More (£799.24), and Sainsbury's with a Nectar card (£801.48) were the next cheapest after Asda. However, shoppers without loyalty cards faced significantly higher costs, with Tesco (£873.66) and Sainsbury's (£881.88) both more expensive than Waitrose (£851.82) and Ocado (£821.29). Shopping at Sainsbury's without a Nectar card was the most expensive option overall, costing nearly 15% more than Asda.
Tesco and Sainsbury's pointed out that 80% and 85% of sales respectively at their stores involved a loyalty card.
Biggest Price Differences
Listerine Total Care Clean Mint Antibacterial Mouthwash (500ml) saw the biggest average price difference, ranging from £2.31 at Asda to £6 at Sainsbury's and Tesco without a loyalty card—a 159% difference. 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 around twice as much at the most expensive supermarket compared with the cheapest when priced without loyalty cards.
Which? found 155 products from Sainsbury's on loyalty promotion, 143 at Tesco, and seven at Morrisons. None of the items in the analysis were subject to loyalty discounts at Waitrose. Asda and Ocado do not operate member-only pricing in the same way.
Consumer Advice
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."
How the Analysis Was Conducted
Which? analyzed the price of 224 groceries from the most popular brands—including Chicago Town, Dove, Kellogg's, Mr Kipling, Nescafé, and Tilda—every day over the course of a month to work out the average cost per item. The list represents the most popular brands across a wide range of grocery categories based on industry data and is designed to produce a robust sample rather than to be representative of a typical shop.
Loyalty discounts are included separately in the table where they are available. The value of points, personalised discounts, or other rewards are not included as these vary.
Supermarkets' 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."
