Customers at Tesco and Sainsbury's may be paying more for their groceries than shoppers at Waitrose, new research by Which? has revealed. The consumer champion compared 245 branded items in February, including products from Heinz, Nescafe, and Mr Kipling.
Sainsbury's non-Nectar members paid £942.66 for the basket, 14 per cent more than Asda (£823.58), the cheapest retailer. Tesco's non-Clubcard price was £916.56, 11 per cent higher than Asda. Waitrose, surprisingly, emerged as a more competitive option at £899.05, just 9 per cent above Asda.
Several products were cheaper at Waitrose, such as Amoy Straight To Wok Noodles (£1.25 on average at Waitrose and Morrisons, compared to £2.15 at Sainsbury's and Tesco without a loyalty card). Sea salt and vinegar Ryvita Thins were also cheapest at Waitrose (£1.25) versus £2.30 at Morrisons, Tesco, and Sainsbury's without a loyalty card.
For customers with a Clubcard, the same basket at Tesco fell to £837.43, just 2 per cent more than Asda. Which? retail editor Reena Sewraz said: “Our analysis reveals a shocking truth and shows the impact loyalty schemes have had on grocery pricing. Branded favourites can actually be cheaper at Waitrose than at the UK’s biggest supermarkets for shoppers who don’t use a loyalty card – something that would have seemed unthinkable until a few years ago.”
A Sainsbury's spokesman said the company has invested over £1bn to keep prices low, while a Tesco spokesman highlighted that Clubcard unlocks savings for 24 million UK households.
