Aldi named cheapest supermarket of 2024 by Which?

Aldi has been crowned the cheapest supermarket of 2024, beating rival Lidl every month in a year-long analysis conducted by Which?.

The consumer organisation tracked the prices of thousands of grocery items at eight major supermarkets every day, comparing the cost of baskets containing popular branded and own-label items.

Aldi emerged as the most affordable option, with Lidl close behind, averaging a price difference of just £1.99 between the two.

This marks the fourth consecutive year Aldi has taken the top spot. In contrast, Waitrose was the most expensive supermarket overall, with grocery costs averaging nearly £30 more than Aldi for a standard basket of 56 items.

December Basket Comparison

In December 2024, Aldi’s basket of 56 items averaged £100.29, narrowly edging out Lidl’s price of £101.56.

When factoring in Lidl Plus loyalty discounts, the gap was even smaller, at just £1.19.

Among the larger supermarket chains, Tesco with a Clubcard was the cheapest option, with a December basket averaging £111.22, slightly ahead of Sainsbury’s with Nectar discounts at £112.13. Asda, without a loyalty scheme factored in, followed at £113.22.

Waitrose once again topped the table for expense, with the same basket costing an average of £129.83.

Cheapest for a Big Shop

For larger shops comprising 158 items, Aldi and Lidl could not be included due to their limited stock of branded products.

Among the big supermarkets, Tesco with a Clubcard came out on top with an average cost of £410.40, narrowly beating Sainsbury’s with Nectar at £412.14.

Without loyalty discounts, Asda was the cheapest for a big shop, at £415.56. Waitrose, meanwhile, averaged £458.12—£48 more than Tesco’s Clubcard prices.

Grocery Inflation on the Rise

Grocery inflation made a comeback in late 2024, with food prices increasing by 3.4% year-on-year—the first rise in 20 months.

Chocolate saw the steepest rise, with a 13.6% increase due to poor cocoa harvests in West Africa.

Lidl experienced the fastest price increases among supermarkets, with inflation of 4% year-on-year, while Waitrose recorded the lowest rise at 0.9%.

Loyalty Schemes and Price Comparisons

The Which? analysis factored in loyalty discounts where applicable, such as Tesco’s Clubcard and Lidl Plus, but excluded personalised offers or points-based rewards. Prices were averaged across each month to provide a fair comparison between supermarkets.

Which? also highlighted rising costs in 2024 due to factors such as higher wages and increased National Insurance contributions, warning that food inflation may continue to climb in 2025.