Lidl has reclaimed the crown as the UK’s cheapest supermarket for the first time since October 2023, narrowly beating Aldi in a price comparison of 76 popular grocery items throughout July, according to research from Which?.
The study found Lidl’s average basket cost was £128.40 without a Lidl Plus card and £128 with it, edging out Aldi’s £129.25. Asda followed as the next cheapest, with a basket costing 9% more than Lidl’s.
Loyalty schemes continue to shape supermarket pricing, with Tesco’s Clubcard and Sainsbury’s Nectar offering notable savings.
Tesco with a Clubcard was the second cheapest overall, followed by Sainsbury’s with Nectar discounts. Waitrose remained the priciest, with an average basket costing 33% more than Lidl’s.
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When expanding the basket to a broader list of 192 branded items, Asda emerged as the cheapest for the seventh month running, followed by Tesco (with Clubcard), Sainsbury’s (with Nectar), and Morrisons. Lidl and Aldi were excluded from this comparison as they did not stock all items.
Which? highlighted hat loyalty cards can deliver meaningful discounts — up to 6.7% at Sainsbury’s for larger baskets — but warned millions of shoppers face barriers accessing these savings due to age restrictions, lack of digital access, or address requirements.
Last year, the CMA confirmed it found no widespread evidence that supermarkets mislead shoppers with loyalty pricing.
The watchdog’s probe found loyalty discounts are generally fair and reflect genuine value, offering reassurance amid growing scrutiny of supermarket pricing practices.
Meanwhile, grocery price inflation climbed to 5.2% in the four weeks to mid-July, marking the highest rate since January 2024, driven by rising costs for fresh meat, chocolate, and spreads.
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