UK’s cheapest supermarket for 2023 revealed

Comprehensive analysis by consumer champion Which? has named Aldi as the UK’s cheapest supermarket for 2023.

Dominating for 11 out of 12 months, Aldi was narrowly beaten by Lidl in October, showcasing the fierce competition between the two discount giants.

Throughout the year, Which? compared grocery prices across the UK’s eight major supermarkets, revealing monthly insights into consumer affordability.

Their approach involved assessing a basket of popular grocery items, including essentials like cheese, tomatoes, and milk.

The rivalry between Aldi and Lidl was evident, with the average price difference between them being a mere £1.33.

This tight competition highlights the commitment of both supermarkets to offer value to consumers.

[The chart shows how much the groceries cost on average at each supermarket. Source: Which?]

In contrast, Waitrose was consistently the most expensive option for a smaller basket of groceries each month, and nearly £20 more expensive than Aldi for an equivalent selection.

This trend was also evident in the larger trolley analysis, with Sainsbury’s only surpassing Waitrose in terms of price for one month.

When it came to a larger selection of 131 items, including branded products, Asda was found to be the most affordable option.

This analysis, which couldn’t include Aldi or Lidl due to their limited branded offerings, showed Asda’s dominance in this category.

2023 also marked a shift in supermarket dynamics with the advent of member-only pricing.

[The chart shows how much the groceries cost on average at each supermarket. Source: Which?]

Supermarkets like Tesco and Sainsbury’s have increasingly relied on loyalty schemes, offering discounts to members.

This trend raises questions about the impact on non-members and the overall pricing structure in supermarkets.

The Which? food price inflation tracker revealed that overall inflation has begun to dip, with supermarket food and drink inflation at 9.6% for the three months to November 30, 2023.

This decline is a welcome respite from the soaring highs experienced earlier in the year.

Which? conducted their analysis by tracking hundreds of grocery items daily at major supermarkets, calculating average prices to determine the most and least affordable stores.

This method included branded and own-label products, ensuring a fair comparison by considering quality and weight factors.