Battle of the budget chains: Lidl ends Aldi’s streak as cheapest supermarket in the UK

Lidl has been crowned the cheapest supermarket in the UK, ending Aldi’s 16-month run at the top of the shops.

Lidl has been crowned the cheapest supermarket for a smaller basket of goods, with shoppers paying an average of £74.58 in October, Which?’s monthly analysis revealed.

It pipped its nearest rival Aldi to the top spot by just 17p, with the same 44 items costing Aldi customers £74.75 during the month.

At the dearer end of the table was Waitrose, which was the most expensive. The equivalent basket of goods cost £91.15 – over a fifth more expensive than Lidl.

The consumer champion compared the average cost of popular groceries at eight of the UK’s biggest supermarkets. It also compares a larger trolley of groceries at six of the biggest supermarkets as discount retailers do not always stock ‘big-brand’ products.

Trolley prices at the big six (excluding Aldi and Lidl)

For a larger trolley of shopping, Asda was the best-priced on the market for the second month in a row, coming in at £328.42. The trolley of goods includes 135 items – the original 44, plus 91 more, with a larger number of branded items, such as Andrex toilet paper and Cathedral City cheese.

Asda was cheaper than the next supermarket Morrisons by £10.98, where the same trolley of products cost £339.40.

Waitrose also proved to be the most expensive for a bigger trolley of groceries, setting customers back £378.08. This was £49.66 more expensive than Asda.

Sainsbury’s was the second most expensive, costing £364.61 for those shopping without a Nectar card.

The analysis included special offer prices but not multi-buys or discounts for shoppers who have signed up to loyalty schemes. As not every customer is able to do so the results only include prices that are available to everyone.

‘Supermarkets could be doing much more for shoppers

Which? found “some good practice” exists among supermarkets but it still believes more can be done. For example, it suggests that convenience stores should stock a range of essential budget lines that support a healthy diet, particularly in places that need it the most.

It said the government should do more to make sure shoppers have as much as help as possible finding reasonably priced food during the cost-of-living crisis.

Ele Clark, Which? retail editor, said: “As millions continue to struggle with increased food prices and other high household bills, it is no surprise that many are turning to discounters for their food shop.

“Which? believes that supermarkets can do much more to help shoppers during the current cost-of-living crisis. They must ensure everyone has easy access to basic, affordable food ranges at a store near them – and this includes providing a decent choice of budget-range, healthy essentials in smaller convenience stores.”

Full table of basket results (based on 44 items):