THE UK’s cheapest supermarket for 2023 has been named – and it could save almost £20 on each shop.
Consumer group Which? compared prices on thousands of products from eight supermarkets across the year.
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Aldi has beaten rival Lidl to be named the cheapest supermarket of 2023, according to Which?.
The discounter was the cheapest supermarket for 11 months of the year.
Lidl managed to beat the reigning champ in October last year.
December’s results show a basket of 43 groceries was £74.83 at Aldi, narrowly cheaper than at Lidl where it cost £76.74.
Here are the results from an average basket price in December (based on 43 items):
- Aldi – £74.83
- Lidl – £76.74
- Asda – £84.21
- Sainsbury’s – £84.54
- Tesco – £84.86
- Morrisons – £87.24
- Ocado – £89.28
- Waitrose – £94.94
Waitrose was almost £20 more expensive than Aldi in December with the basket price just £5 shy of £100 at £94.94.
Which? found the supermarket was the most expensive every month of the past year.
The site also compared the cost of a larger trolley of more than 100 items including more branded items.
However, this data did not include Aldi and Lidl as they do not always stock some of these products.
These are the rankings from a full table of trolley items in December (based on 133 items):
- Asda – £356.77
- Morrisons – £336.41
- Ocado – £346.23
- Tesco – £349.34
- Sainsbury’s – £354.06
- Waitrose – £367.79
Asda was the cheapest supermarket for a larger trolley for 11 months of the year, with Morrisons being the cheapest in July.
Waitrose was the most expensive supermarket again for 11 months of the year for a larger trolley.
Sainsbury’s emerged as the most expensive for customers shopping without a loyalty card in September 2023.
But in 2022, the supermarket was amongst the cheapest for prices of bigger trolleys of goods.
Despite being one the most expensive for basket shopping, Ocado made it to third on the trolley shopping list.
The collected data doesn’t reflect multi-buy or loyalty discounts although it does recognise special offer prices.
Which? argues not every customer would be able to sign up for loyalty and discount schemes.
Which? retail editor Ele Clark said: “With food prices continuing to put immense pressure on household budgets, it’s no surprise to see many people turning to discounters like Aldi and Lidl.
“Our research shows that Aldi was the cheapest supermarket of 2023, with shoppers saving almost £20 there in December compared to the most expensive store.
“Which? believes that supermarkets can do more to help shoppers during the current cost-of-living crisis.
“Although some have begun to make progress, we’d like to see all supermarkets stocking their smaller convenience stores with a selection of budget-range healthy foods, particularly in those areas most in need.”
Julie Ashfield, managing director of buying at Aldi, said: “We’re absolutely delighted to be named the cheapest supermarket of the year for a third year running.
“We are committed to providing shoppers with the best quality products at the lowest prices and it’s great to have that officially recognised by a highly respected consumer champion, such as Which?.
“As we head into 2024, our promise to our customers remains the same – they will always get the UK’s lowest prices at Aldi.”
Tips for saving on your supermarket shop?
Even if you are shopping in Aldi, there are things you can do to bring your grocery bills lower.
Making a list before you head out to do your food shopping is always a good start.
You’ll be less likely to make any rash purchases or be enticed by unwanted offers.
Try “downshifting” which is swapping out your regulars for supermarket own brands.
Avoid ranges with terms like “finest” or “luxury” ranges as they usually cost more.
Instead, go for items labelled with “value” or “essential”.
Pay attention to quantities, some items have stayed the same in price over the years but the quantity has been reduced, this is known as shrinkflation.
Always check the price per kg/lb/litre especially when you are tempted to buy a bigger amount as you may not be getting your money’s worth.
Martin Lewis says the trick could save you around 30% on your yearly shopping bill.
Some supermarkets run “wonky” veg schemes as well, where you pay less for fresh produce that’s misshapen or imperfect.
And the food is perfectly fine to eat.
Lidl, for example, has its Waste Not scheme where you can get a whopping five kilos of fruit and veg for just £1.50.
A lot of supermarkets run loyalty schemes, where you can build up points to spend on a later shop.
For example, Sainsbury’s has its Nectar Card and Tesco has its Clubcard.
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