An investigation by ITV's 'The Rise Of Discount Supermarkets' has revealed significant price differences between German discounters Aldi and Lidl and Britain's traditional Big Four supermarkets. Broadcaster Jonathan Maitland, alongside Good Housekeeping's Caroline Bloor, compared a basket of 19 middle-class products across multiple retailers in 2014.
The basket, including items such as smoked salmon, Greek yoghurt, and Colombian ground coffee, cost £52.59 at Marks & Spencer, £51.16 at Waitrose, £49.32 at Sainsbury's, £48.92 at Co-op, £42.32 at Morrisons, £41.89 at Tesco, and £38.65 at Asda. In contrast, Aldi's basket totalled £34.01, while Lidl was the cheapest at £33.61—almost 40 percent less than M&S and Waitrose.
More recent research by Which? last month confirms that Aldi remains 19 percent cheaper on average than the Big Four. A theoretical trolley of 108 groceries and household essentials cost £111 at Aldi, compared to £140 at Tesco, £144 at Sainsbury's, and £143 at Morrisons, potentially saving shoppers over £1,500 a year by switching to Aldi.
The investigation also tested ice cream, with Mr Maitland initially mistaking a Cornetto for the cheapest option. Good Housekeeping's full 2014 taste test found Sainsbury's to be the winner, but Lidl came a very close second, challenging perceptions of quality at discount supermarkets.
