Our weekly shop comparison looks at a basket of eight items across six main supermarkets each week – and one store has been top of the list for three weeks
A supermarket is charging 17 per cent more for a staple item compared to nearly all other retailers. Our weekly price comparison examines the cost of eight items across the six main supermarkets. One product – a 500g pack of the cheapest supermarket mince (either 20 per cent or 25 per cent fat) – has seen a steady price increase, but now Sainsbury’s is selling it for 17% more than Aldi, Lidl, Asda and Morrisons, and 13 per cent more than Tesco.
Most places offer their cheapest pack for £2.99 – a staggering 77 per cent increase from the lowest price (£1.69) at which it was sold at Aldi when we began tracking prices over three years ago.
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Back then, Sainsbury’s was still charging 50 per cent less than its current price, with a tag of £2. However, Sainsbury’s price has now reached £3.50, the highest it’s been throughout our comparison.
With an overall bill of £13.90, it remains the priciest supermarket for the third week running.
Aldi continues to be the most affordable for the fifth week, with a total of £13.09, just a penny less than Lidl’s £13.10. Asda is now the third cheapest at £13.33, followed by Tesco at £13.46 and Morrisons at £13.55.
Despite being the most affordable option, Aldi has contested our comparison, arguing that the list doesn’t consider quality differences, claiming, for instance, that its Diplomat Red Label tea bags and coffee are ‘higher quality’ than the comparative products used. The retailer also notes that its tins of beans are weightier than some competitors’.
When it comes to meat, however, Aldi and Lidl, as well as Morrisons, offer a 25% fat pack, while other supermarkets provide 20% fat, which is generally regarded as better quality.
An Aldi spokesperson further commented: “Our promise to customers is that they will make significant savings every time they shop with Aldi, which is why we’ve been named Which? Cheapest Supermarket of the Year for four years running.”
Asda has also expressed disagreement, stating that our limited selection of items doesn’t capture the full scope of their pricing or take into account their special offers. The supermarket maintains that its Just Essentials range is the most extensive and economical on the market, comparable to Aldi’s.
Sainsbury’s has highlighted that industry-wide factors have affected beef prices. A Sainsbury’s representative remarked: “This review of a limited number of products does not reflect the fantastic value our customers will find at Sainsbury’s. We are committed to offering the best possible value across a wide variety of products – whether that’s through our value Stamford Street range, Low Everyday Prices, Aldi Price Match or Nectar Prices.”
Aldi
800g loaf of white bread – 55p.
2 pints of milk – £1.20.
200g coffee – £1.99.
160 teabags – £1.85.
250g salted butter – £1.99.
420g tin of beans – 27p.
300g chicken – £2.25.
500g mince with 25% fat – £2.99.
Total £13.09.
Lidl
800g loaf of white bread – 55p.
2 pints of milk – £1.20.
200g coffee – £1.99.
240 pack of tea bags – £2.79 / equates to £1.86 for 160.
250g salted butter – £1.99.
420g tin of beans – 27p.
300g chicken – £2.25.
500g mince with 25% fat – £2.99.
Total £13.10.
Asda
800g loaf of white bread – 55p.
2 pints of milk – £1.20.
200g coffee (2 x 100g) – £2.28.
160 teabags (4 x 40-pack) – £1.80.
250g salted butter – £1.99.
410g tin of beans – 28p.
300g chicken – £2.24.
500g mince with 20% fat – £2.99.
Total £13.33.
Tesco
800g loaf of white bread – 55p.
2 pints of milk – £1.20.
200g coffee (2 x 100g) – £2.30.
160 teabags (2 x 80-pack) – £1.80.
250g salted butter – £1.99.
420g tin of beans – 28p.
300g chicken – £2.40 for 320g, equates to £2.25 for 300g.
500g mince with 20% fat – £3.09.
Total £13.46.
Morrisons
800g loaf of white bread – 55p.
2 pints of milk – £1.25.
Coffee (2 x 100g) – £2.30.
160 teabags (2 x 80-pack Savers) – £1.80.
Savers Salted butter 250g – £1.99.
410g tin of beans – 26p.
300g chicken – £2.65 for 330, equates to £2.41 for 300g.
500g mince with 25% fat – £2.99.
Total £13.55.
Sainsbury’s
800g loaf of bread – 55p.
2 pints of milk – £1.20.
200g coffee – £2.30.
160 teabags – £1.85.
250g salted butter – £1.99.
400g tin of beans – 26p.
Chicken 300g – £2.40 for 320g, equates to £2.25 for 300g.
Mince 500g 20% fat – £3.50.
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