swordpress

THE cheapest supermarket for a basket of 71 items in September has been revealed.

The latest analysis from consumer champion Which? has crowned Aldi as the cheapest grocer in September.

AlamyAldi has been named the cheapest supermarket for 71 items[/caption]

The analysis compares the average price of a shop consisting of popular groceries at eight of the UK’s biggest supermarkets.

Aldi was crowned the cheapest supermarket in August too, after the German discounter was knocked off the top spot by rival Lidl in July for the first time in 20 months.

In September, a shopping list of 71 items at Aldi cost £122.77 on average.

Aldi was cheaper than second-placed Lidl by just over a pound.

A grocery shop at Lidl cost an average of £123.95 in September.

The list of 71 items included both branded items such as Cathedral City cheddar and Hellmann’s mayonnaise, as well as own-brand products such as potatoes and baked beans.

Tesco Clubcard members would have paid £135.64 on average, while Asda came in fourth at £136.98.

Those shopping in Tesco without a Clubcard would have paid an average of £138.66 for the 71 items included in the research.

Sainsbury’s customers would have paid £138.74 with a Nectar loyalty card, or £142.70 without one.

A grocery shop in Morrisons cost £140.19 with a More Card, or £140.24 without.

Waitrose was the most expensive supermarket for a shopping list of 71 items, with customers paying an average of £167.19.

And Waitrose was more expensive than online grocer Ocado, which charged £154.08 for the same basket of goods.

A Waitrose spokesperson said: “Great value is about more than just price, and we take pride in offering exceptional products with award-winning customer service.

“On top of this, our customers know that our products are sourced with care – including with market-leading animal welfare standards. From this week even our sausages are all free range – proving Waitrose welfare is second to none.”

Over the same month, Asda retained its place as one of the UK’s cheapest supermarkets for a longer list of 186 items.

The longer shopping list at Asda cost £465.66, beating the price of shopping at Tesco with a clubcard by £6.79 (£472.45).

Waitrose was the most expensive supermarket for a bigger shop, costing £531.39.

Aldi and Lidl are not included in the comparison of the bigger list as they have a smaller range of products.

How to save on your grocery shop

Which? urged consumers to shop around for their groceries.

Reena Sewraz, Which? retail editor, said: “Aldi is the UK’s cheapest supermarket again this month, according to our latest price analysis, showing that it continues to represent great value without the need for two-tiered pricing.

“When it comes to a longer list of groceries, Asda beats all the other major stores including membership prices at Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons.

“With food prices still rising and the weather getting colder we know many households will be worried about costs, so it really is worth shopping around as you can save 36% by swapping to a cheaper supermarket ”.

The latest research form Which? comes as food prices have soared to a 20-month high.

While the UK’s overall inflation rate stood still at 3.8% in August, figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show the price of food and non-alcoholic drinks went up to 5.1%.

Food and non-alcoholic drink inflation hasn’t been this high since January 2024, when prices surged by 7% over the previous 12 months.

It means a basket of groceries that cost £100 a year ago now costs £105.10, leaving households feeling the strain at the checkout as everyday essentials become more expensive.

And retail experts warn that inflation could stay above 5% well into next year if the Government slaps large shops with new tax rises in the upcoming Budget.

A survey from the British Retail Consortium revealed that 61% of working adults are more worried about prices outpacing wages than tax rises and unemployment.

How to save money on your food shop

Consumer reporter Sam Walker reveals how you can save hundreds of pounds a year:
Odd boxes – plenty of retailers offer slightly misshapen fruit and veg or surplus food at a discounted price.
Lidl sells five kilos of fruit and veg for just £1.50 through its Waste Not scheme while Aldi shoppers can get Too Good to Go bags which contain £10 worth of all kinds of products for £3.30.
Sainsbury’s also sells £2 “Taste Me, Don’t Waste Me” fruit and veg boxes to help shoppers reduced food waste and save cash.
Food waste apps – food waste apps work by helping shops, cafes, restaurants and other businesses shift stock that is due to go out of date and passing it on to members of the public.
Some of the most notable ones include Too Good to Go and Olio.
Too Good to Go’s app is free to sign up to and is used by millions of people across the UK, letting users buy food at a discount.
Olio works similarly, except users can collect both food and other household items for free from neighbours and businesses.
Yellow sticker bargains – yellow sticker bargains, sometimes orange and red in certain supermarkets, are a great way of getting food on the cheap.
But what time to head out to get the best deals varies depending on the retailer. You can see the best times for each supermarket here.
Super cheap bargains – sign up to bargain hunter Facebook groups like Extreme Couponing and Bargains UK where shoppers regularly post hauls they’ve found on the cheap, including food finds.
“Downshift” – you will almost always save money going for a supermarket’s own-brand economy lines rather than premium brands.
The move to lower-tier ranges, also known as “downshifting” and hailed by consumer expert Martin Lewis, could save you hundreds of pounds a year on your food shop.