UK’s cheapest supermarket for a big shop revealed – and you could save £41

0
28

ASDA has been crowned the cheapest supermarket to bag a large shopping trolley of items – and shoppers could save £41 on a weekly shop.

Consumer website Which? found a trolley of 139 products at the high street supermarket came out at £355.29 in February.

Asda has been crowned the cheapest supermarket for a larger trolley of items

Aldi came out cheapest when it came to a smaller basket of goods

The next cheapest option was Sainsbury’s where the same size trolley would have cost you £358.77.

Waitrose was the most expensive retailer, charging £396.58 for the 139 items – over £41 more than Asda.

Aldi and Lidl were not included in the pool of supermarkets where Which? compared the trolley of 139 products.

This is because they do not always stock some of the products included in the comparison.

The full results were as follows:

  • Asda – £355.29
  • Sainsbury’s – £358.77
  • Morrisons – £371.86
  • Tesco – £376.95
  • Ocado – £382.54
  • Waitrose – £396.58

Meanwhile, Aldi was crowned champion for a basket of 43 products – the cost there in February was £74.81 compared to next cheapest Lidl.

Again, Waitrose was the most expensive supermarket for the smaller basket, where the 43 items would have cost you £96.59.

The full results for the smaller basket were as follows:

  • Aldi – £74.81
  • Lidl – £77.50
  • Sainsbury’s – £85.25
  • Tesco – £85.32
  • Asda – £85.81
  • Morrisons – £89.01
  • Ocado – £89.96
  • Waitrose – £96.59

Reena Sewraz, Which? retail editor, said: “The cost of living crisis has seen food and drink prices put huge pressure on household budgets.

“It is no surprise to see many people turning to discounters like Aldi when our research shows they could save up to £22 on a typical shop.

“Our findings show that while prices are going up, some supermarkets are significantly more expensive than others.”

Shoppers should remember to compare prices before hitting the aisles, as supermarkets change prices regularly.

It’s also important to note that this is just a snapshot look at prices based on a selected shop, so your grocery order may be cheaper elsewhere.

HOAR approached Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Aldi, Lidl and Ocado for a comment.

An Asda spokesperson said the supermarket was working hard to keep prices “in check” for customers.

They added: “Recently we also announced that we would be freezing the prices of over 500 popular branded and own label products, more than half of which are fresh meat, dairy, fruit and vegetable products until the end of May.”

A Waitrose spokesperson said the supermarket was “determined” to keep prices down and has committed £100million to lower prices on hundreds of products.

They added: “Our customers know by shopping with us, they can trust our sustainability credentials, and choose from a fantastic range at outstanding value and quality.”

A Morrisons spokesperson said it was working hard to keep prices down amidst an “unprecedented period of inflation“.

They added: “We recently reduced the price of 1,000 popular products and remain committed to doing all we can to help when it comes to the cost of grocery shopping.”

It comes after Asda was crowned the cheapest supermarket for a larger trolley of 144 items in January.

In the same month, Aldi again came out cheapest for a smaller basket of goods.

How can I save on my supermarket shop?

It’s not just about heading to the cheapest supermarket to save money on your shop.

There’s a number of ways you can cut costs and drive down your grocery bills.

Making a list before you head out to do your food shopping is always a good start as you’ll be less likely to make any rash purchases.

Buying supermarkets’ own-brand goods instead of higher end more notable brands could save you a few pounds too.

Some supermarkets run “wonky” veg schemes, where you pay less for fresh produce that’s misshapen or imperfect.

Lidl, for example, has its Waste Not scheme where you can get a whopping five kilos of fruit and veg for just £1.50.

Checking how much a product costs based on quantity could save you some money.

You might be tempted to opt for a bigger box or packaging because you think you will get more.

But you should always check the price per kg/lb/litre so you’re making a like-for-like decision.

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.

Plus, look out for yellow or red stickers on food products that show they’ve been reduced.

But watch out for the stickers on fresh goods, as it means they are due to go out of date.

You can always freeze the food to make it last longer though.