I visited Lidl, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Marks & Spencer and Asda to see which supermarket has the best meat aisles, and one was a complete letdown.
During your weekly grocery run, there’s one aisle you’ll never bypass: the meat section. From succulent chicken breasts to flawlessly marbled steaks, the choices are limitless. Each supermarket offers its own blend of cuts, marinades, plant-based alternatives and ready-to-cook options, but not all provide the same quality, value for money, or a selection of everyday essentials and special indulgences.
I’m fortunate enough to live near five supermarkets, which makes deciding where to shop both thrilling and daunting. Eager to discover which store truly excels in the meat department, I visited Lidl, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Marks & Spencer, and Asda to compare their offerings.
Some chains wowed with freshness and variety, while others left me stunned and let down – but which one emerged victorious?
5. Sainsbury’s
Being a devoted customer at a supermarket isn’t just about the standard of the food and the prices, but also the customer experience. I adore Sainsbury’s for its fantastic range and quality, and it has been my preferred supermarket for years, despite having numerous options (although I may be biased, having spent four years as an employee).
However, stepping into the meat aisle was a real letdown. I was met by a huge security camera in the centre, which tracked my every move on the screen.
As I perused the usual meat selection of sausages, chicken, pork, beef and lamb, I then spotted something that utterly shocked me.
All the steaks now sport security tags, a change from my visit just a week ago. While I understand this is an anti-shoplifting measure, it’s a stark reminder of the cost-of-living crisis.
It’s always a bit disheartening to see everyday items like cheese, meat, and baby formula tagged for security, something you’d typically expect only on pricier goods such as alcohol, clothing, and perfume.
While steak might be considered a luxury, even the £5 thin-cut sirloin was adorned with the glaring yellow tag. This creates a sense of mistrust and unease among shoppers, and personally, it put me off buying a steak.
Aside from that, Sainsbury’s offers a good range of meats, with excellent promotional deals available through their Nectar scheme. A medium whole chicken, originally priced at £5.35, will only set you back £2.67 with Nectar.
The supermarket also keeps customers informed about price matching with other stores. For instance, a 500g packet of 5% fat beef mince costs £5.19 but has been price-matched with Aldi.
However, due to their intrusive surveillance system, I had to rank my favourite store low for their meat aisle.
4. M&S
Marks & Spencer holds a special place in my heart for many reasons, but their meat aisle isn’t one of them. I usually head into the store for their fresh produce, unique snack range and when I fancy treating myself to their delicious yet pricey bakery (find out more here, where M&S ranked on my bakery list).
Browsing their meat section, I found myself rather let down. There genuinely wasn’t much on offer; the selection was limited, and most products weren’t worth their hefty price tags.
An M&S Oakham Gold Medium Whole Chicken costs £7.25, while 500g of M&S Select Farms British Beef Mince 5% Fat costs £6.75.
Nevertheless, I did appreciate the distinctiveness of some of their products, such as their slow-cooked selection and premium cut meats, which you simply can’t find in most supermarkets. Shopping in the store was far more enjoyable than in Sainsbury’s.
I pondered whether it was down to my area’s reputation that Sainsbury’s had chosen to security tag its steaks, but the rather more upmarket M&S had no tags on its selection, including a £45 wagyu steak.
3. Morrisons
Morrisons is an excellent option for your weekly grocery run. It provides an extensive selection of meats at sensible prices.
A 10-pack of thick pork sausages costs £4.25, whilst a 12-pack of pork chipolatas is tagged at £3. Bacon is also reasonably priced; with Morrisons’ savers collection, you can pick up 300g of smoked back bacon for £1.45.
A medium whole chicken will cost £5.50, while 500g of British steak mince 5% fat will cost £5.29. My local branch also boasts a butcher, so if you’re dissatisfied with the selection, you can request a superior cut of meat.
A spokesperson from the supermarket said, “Head to our Butcher’s counter for more fresh food sourced directly from British farmers. Hand-prepared by our expert butchers, we’ll cut and prepare as much or as little as you want.”
My only complaint was the shortage of distinctive products available, and the selection could have been somewhat larger.
2. Lidl
Lidl secures second place purely because of its excellent prices. If you’re hunting for food on a tight budget, then Lidl is your destination.
Not only does it boast an extensive selection, but it features a distinctive ‘pick of the week’ section which provides major bargains on a variety of meats.
Customers can snag a medium whole chicken for £4.99, British beef mince (25% fat) for as little as £3.09, and two beef medallion steaks for £4.49-the finest prices I’ve encountered across all the supermarkets.
According to Which?, Lidl rivals Aldi on variety and pricing. They revealed: “Aldi and Lidl both offer some high-quality and good-value own-brand products and generally perform well in our consumer panel taste tests.
“Of the two discounters, only Lidl has a loyalty scheme. It recently revamped its Lidl Plus app and now offers lower prices on selected products to members – known as Lidl Plus Offers – as well as personalised coupons.”
1. Asda
This may shock many of you (and yes, Tesco is not on the list; I’m sorry), but Asda claims the top spot. By far, Asda boasted the most extensive meat selection, stretching across two aisles and four rear aisles.
I adored their vast array of sausages and steaks. Six Cumberland pork sausages cost just £2.98, or you can purchase any two packets for £4.98. ASDA Sirloin Beef Steak 227g costs £6.64, or you can grab any two for £10.
I’m a big fan of fantastic deals like the mix-and-match promotion. Asda is also renowned for its yellow packaging, offering more affordable prices on its food range, which you can find in the meat aisle too.
Even without the deals, most prices are quite reasonable, such as a 10-pack of smoked back bacon rashers for £1.89 and a medium whole chicken for £4.48.
My local Asda also boasts an in-house butcher, giving it an extra advantage over its rivals. I’m particularly fond of its extensive selection of plant-based meats and halal meat.
Although I’m Christian, I appreciate when a supermarket caters to all shoppers, recognising that the UK is a multicultural and diverse country, making it a wonderful place to live and flourish.
My favourite part of shopping at Asda is exploring its pre-seasoned meats, whether it’s their Chinese-style chicken thighs, peri platter, or tikka chicken steaks. With a large family of nine, this supermarket is typically our first choice for a monthly meat stock-up.
Do you agree with my ranking? Share your thoughts in the comments below.