Asda has moved closer in price to Lidl and Aldi for a basket of basic essentials, after cutting the cost of its cheapest Just Essentials beef mince to £3.09 a pack.
The change brings Asda’s overall bill for eight key items to £13.05, just 7p more than Lidl’s £12.98 and 6p more than Aldi’s £12.99. It is the second week running that Asda has taken third position in the comparison, which also includes bread, milk, coffee, tea bags, beans, butter and chicken breasts.
Price comparison results
Two years ago, Asda was working out the most expensive of the lot, a position it held consistently between the end of September 2024 and mid-December that year. In fourth place this week is Morrisons, with a bill of £13.18, followed by Sainsbury’s at £13.23. Tesco is the dearest for a tenth consecutive week, charging £13.36.
The gap is largely due to the cost of mince being £3.25 at Tesco, however its mince is 20% fat, so better quality than the 25% or more fat sold elsewhere. The weekly price comparison has tracked the cost of basics since March 2022 and has always taken into account the cheapest products available, including budget ranges like Asda’s Just Essentials, Morrisons’ Savers, Tesco’s Stockwell products and Sainsbury’s Stamford Street range.
Retailers respond
There has only been one other slight price change this week, with Lidl’s beans up from 27p to 28p, a price that seems to fluctuate week by week. It’s important to note that not all retailers agree with the findings of the comparison.
Sainsbury’s says the ‘review of a limited number of products does not reflect the fantastic value’ customers will find in store and says it’s ‘committed to offering customers great choice and value when they shop with us’. Morrisons says it ‘remains committed to providing good, honest value’ and is ‘working hard to keep prices down and competitive so customers can spend less while still enjoying the quality Morrisons is famous for’.
Aldi has always argued that the products aren’t like-for-like, saying its own Diplomat Red Label tea bags and its coffee are of ‘higher quality’ than the comparative products used and its tins of beans are heavier than some of the other retailers’. An Aldi spokesperson told the M.E.N: "Our customers know they can always count on us for great value across the board, without needing to join a club or show a loyalty card. That’s why Which? has named us Cheapest Supermarket of the Year for five years running."
Full list of prices
Asda says that surveys consistently recognise Asda as the best-value full-range supermarket, with low prices available to all. A spokesperson said: "Families can count on Asda for great value, with low prices on the brands they know and trust, many of which aren’t available in limited-range discounters, as well as thousands of everyday essentials that are cheaper than Tesco, Morrisons and Sainsbury’s. Independent price comparisons continue to recognise Asda as the UK’s best-value full-range supermarket."
The full list of prices shows Lidl’s total at £12.98 (up from £12.97), Aldi at £12.99, Asda at £13.05 (down from £13.08), Morrisons at £13.18, Sainsbury’s at £13.23, and Tesco at £13.36.
