It might be a new year, but the cost of living is still high, making it just as important for families to seek out the cheapest supermarket to cut their food costs in 2023.
Knowing how to save money remains a top priority for households, with many still concerned abouthow much their energy bills will cost (opens in new tab)and families continuing to look for new ways to save money on food (opens in new tab).
Food influencer Lucy Lord (opens in new tab) told us: “After accommodation costs, food is the highest outgoing cost for most households. So when it comes to cutting back, a really easy switch can be not only what we buy (branded food vs. supermarket own brand food) but also where we buy our food from. The same food baskets at UK supermarkets varies by nearly £30 from the cheapest to the most expensive. So a simple swap to save pennies, without changing any contents in your shopping basket, could just be changing where you shop.”
Whichever supermarket you choose to shop at, always remember to take yoursupermarket loyalty card (opens in new tab)to maximise any savings or benefits you can get.
Which was the cheapest supermarket in December 2022?
Latest research by Which? has determined thatAldi was the cheapest supermarket for December 2022,with Lidl a close second. Which? checked the price of 48 popular grocery items including Heinz baked beans, milk and teabags, and found that Aldi was the cheapest at £81.63, compared to the Lidl basket of the same items which cost £83.24, £1.61 more.
In contrast, Which? found Waitrose to be the most expensive supermarket in December 2022, costing £30.99 more than the equivalent basket from Aldi.Of the ‘big four’ supermarkets (Tesco, Sainsbury's, Asda and Morrisons), Tesco was cheapest at £93.42.
Here's how the basket prices from Which? research compare:
- Aldi- £81.63
- Lidl- £83.24
- Tesco - £93.42
- Asda- £93.44
- Sainsbury's- £95.71
- Morrisons- £97.12
- Ocado- £102.87
- Waitrose- £112.62.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
The data we use for this article to ensure we are consistent every month has not yet been released for January 2023, but we will update this article when it is available. But in the meantime, other publications have compared their own selection of essential products and found Tesco to be the cheapest in their tests (opens in new tab) for January 2023.
Is Lidl cheaper than Aldi?
Lidl is sometimes cheaper than Aldi - the rivalry between the two discounters is pretty fierce.
The latest analysis from Which? (opens in new tab) has revealed that Aldi narrowly beat Lidl to be named the cheapest supermarket of the year for 2022. Aldi also won the cheapest supermarket accolade in 2021.
However, Lidl was crowned the cheapest supermarket in 2020 and was also the cheapest supermarket in the first five months of 2022.
Which?’s annual survey tracks hundreds of thousands of grocery prices across the UK’s eight major supermarkets throughout the year to find out how much each retailer is charging for branded items such as Heinz baked beans and Dolmio sauce, plus own-brand goods such as apples and lettuce.
During 2022, Aldi was found to be cheapest for seven of the 12 months, while Lidl was the cheapest for five. Across the seven months that Aldi was cheaper, the average difference was £1.59 compared to Lidl.
Discount retailers Lidl and Aldi have soared in popularity in recent years, thanks to their ability to offer a wide range of products at low prices due to low operating costs.
Which was the cheapest supermarket each month of 2022?
The table below outlines the cheapest supermarkets for each month of 2022, and the most expensive, according to research by Which?. Note that a greater range of products has been included from June onwards.
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Month | Cheapest supermarket | Most expensive supermarket |
---|---|---|
Jan | Lidl (£24.78) | Waitrose (£33.94) |
Feb | Lidl (£24.21) | Waitrose (£33.71) |
Mar | Lidl (£26.83) | Waitrose (£36.04) |
Apr | Lidl (£25.92) | Waitrose (£35.06) |
May | Lidl (£23.55) | Waitrose (£31.85) |
Jun | Aldi (£75.61) | Waitrose (£101.14) |
Jul | Aldi (£74.34) | Waitrose (£99.46) |
Aug | Aldi (£76.24) | Waitrose (£102.20) |
Sep | Aldi (£75.61) | Waitrose (£99.40) |
Oct | Aldi (£75.79) | Waitrose (£101.17) |
Nov | Aldi (£77.21) | Waitrose (£104.11) |
Dec | Aldi (£81.63) | Waitrose (£112.62) |
As you can see in the table above, Lidl and Aldi regularly battle it out each month to see which supermarket comes out as the cheapest. Asda is usually the third cheapest option, but was pipped to the post by Tesco for both November and December 2022.
Which is the most expensive supermarket?
According to Which’s annual survey, Waitrose was the most expensive across the 12 months of 2022. In fact, a basket of items from Waitrose cost from £9 to over £30 more per month than the cheapest supermarket.
However,separate research from Which? (opens in new tab)reveals that over the past year, discounters Aldi and Lidl have seen the biggest overall inflation on food and drink at 19.6% and 19% respectively. Waitrose, on the other hand, had a lower inflation figure of 14.4%.
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Supermarket | Monthly inflation to the end of November 2022 |
---|---|
Aldi | 19.6% |
Lidl | 19% |
Asda | 15.2% |
Morrisons | 14.4% |
Waitrose | 14.2% |
Sainsbury’s | 13.7% |
Tesco | 12.6% |
Ocado | 10.3% |
Source: Which?
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Are own-branded products cheaper than premium?
Prices for supermarket own-brands are typically cheaper than premium options. However, data fromWhich? (opens in new tab)shows that during the cost-of-living crisis, the price of supermarket own-brands and budget ranges has actually gone up more than premium and branded goods.
Which? looked at the prices of tens of thousands of food and drinks products at the above supermarkets, and found that prices on everyday budget and own-brand products had increased by up to 175% over the past year. The table below outlines some of the products that had the biggest price increases:
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Product | Price change | % increase |
---|---|---|
Waitrose chocolate chip shortbread (200g) | 82p to £2.25 | 175% |
Asda Free From soft cheese alternative (170g) | 93p to £2.12 | 128% |
Tesco Creamfields soft cheese (200g) | 49p to 84p | 71% |
Sainsbury’s Simply Muesli (1kg) | £1.20 to £2.03 | 70% |
How do online delivery costs compare?
If you want to get your food shop delivered straight to your door, you’ll need to factor in delivery fees. These will vary depending on the supermarket and the time and date of your delivery. Midweek slots tend to be cheaper than weekends, for instance.
You can usually pay as you go or opt for a delivery pass which covers you for up to a year and means you can get free delivery any time.
Asda
- Minimum spend: £40
- Cost: Between £1 and £5. An additional fee of £3 applies to orders under £40.
- Delivery pass: The Anytime Delivery Pass is available for 12 months at a cost of £6.50 a month or a £65 one-off payment. The Midweek 12-month pass for deliveries on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays costs £35.
Morrisons
- Minimum spend: £40
- Cost: Between £1.50 and £6.
- Delivery pass: The Anytime Delivery Pass costs £70 for a year, £45 for six months or £8 monthly. The Midweek Delivery Pass for deliveries on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays costs £40 a year, £25 for six months or £5 monthly.
Sainsbury's
- Minimum spend: £25
- Cost: Between £1 and £4.50 for orders over £40. Orders under £40 will be charged a £7 delivery charge.
- Delivery pass: The Anytime Delivery Pass costs £80 for a year, £40 for six months or £7.50 monthly. The Midweek Delivery Pass for deliveries on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays costs £40 a year or £4 monthly.
Tesco
- Minimum spend: £40
- Cost: Between £3 and £7 if you want a fixed one-hour slot, or between £2.50 and £4 if you are happy with a flexible slot. An additional £4 is charged if you order less than £40.
- Delivery pass: The Anytime Delivery 12-month plan costs £6.99 a month or £83.88 upfront, while the 6-month plan costs £7.99 a month or £47.94 upfront. The Off Peak Delivery 12-month plan costs £3.99 a month or £47.88 upfront, while the 6-month plan costs £4.99 a month or £29.94 upfront.
Ocado
- Minimum spend: £40
- Cost: Between £0 and £6.99 depending on slot availability. If your order is less than £75, there is a minimum charge of £2.99 and a maximum of £6.99.
- Delivery pass: The Ocado Anytime Smart Pass costs £89.99 for 12 months, £49.99 for six months or £8.99 monthly. The Midweek pass costs £39.99 for 12 months, £22.49 for six months or £3.99 monthly.
Waitrose
- Minimum spend: £40
- Cost: £3
- Delivery pass: n/a
How to find the cheapest supermarket
Monitoring surveys and research from publications such as The Grocer and Which? is one way to keep track of the latest supermarket trends. But there are also a number of apps and tools that can help you.
Money saving expert Deepak Tailor (opens in new tab) from LatestFreeStuff.co.uk says: “One of the best apps to use is theLatest Deals (opens in new tab) supermarket shopping comparisonapp for comparing the price of groceries. You can search for popular products like Heinz baked beans or Cadbury chocolate bars, and you’ll know the supermarket that is selling it for the cheapest price. You can also try an app likeTrolley.co.uk (opens in new tab).”
Another app to check out is Supermarket Wizard (opens in new tab). Its operations director, Eleanor Ball (opens in new tab), says: “Our website helps consumers find the cheapest supermarket and is the only UK website that allows a full basket price comparison (including supermarket own-label products) across the big six. We will be adding further supermarkets this year. Once you have placed items in your basket, as well as seeing the total cost at each supermarket you can then view your list and tailor it to visit the supermarkets cheapest for particular products if you wish.”
Meanwhile, shopping app Cherryz (opens in new tab) will deliver everyday essentials straight to your door. The app’s head of trading, John Place (opens in new tab), says: “Cherryz is the go-to app for anyone looking to get a great value on the stuff they really need. The app also includes plenty of money-saving initiatives like frequent deals and offers, heaps of discount brands, a £1 or less category, and not forgetting our Delivery Pass - unlimited free delivery for just £1 a month.”
Is the cheapest supermarket the best?
At a time when the cost of living is soaring, hunting out the cheapest supermarket and finding the biggest savings will be a top priority.
However, cost isn’t the only factor that should be considered when looking for the best supermarket for your circumstances.
Food influencer Lucy Lord says: “For a lot of people, time and convenience is a high priority. So is it really worth jumping in the car and driving 20 minutes away (in traffic, and then back) to get to a cheaper supermarket when you have another supermarket on your doorstep?
“Another factor is shopping experience. Food shopping can be stressful at the best of times whether you’re nipping in for a small basket-worth of goods or doing a larger weekly food shop. Are the queues always a mile long? Are the aisles always packed with shelves half empty? These are individual factors that are worth considering.”
Customer service can be another important factor if you might need additional support buying groceries in-store or online. Keep in mind that while budget stores such as Lidl and Aldi are often cheapest, their in-store shopping experience tends to be more minimalist.
Budget stores don’t always offer the widest range of products either, although this has improved over time. Some, such as Lidl, also do not offer home delivery for food, unlike most traditional supermarkets.
Deepak Tailor from LatestFreeStuff.co.uk (opens in new tab) says: “The golden rule is to research the things you need to buy so you can make an informed decision before you make your purchase.”
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FAQs
What is a supermarket Short answer? ›
A supermarket is a large shop which sells all kinds of food and some household goods. Most of us do our food shopping in the supermarket.
What is the cheapest supermarket in California? ›- Trader Joe's. For many Californians, Trader Joe's is the go-to grocery store, and why not? ...
- Aldi. ...
- Vons. ...
- Sprouts Farmers Market. ...
- Food 4 Less. ...
- Smart & Final Extra!
If Aldi is not the lowest price, they really aren't in the running at all for being the cheapest. Also, since Aldi does not carry everything, there were several items on the list that could not be compared at Aldi. Kroger is definitely the most expensive if you shop without sales!
Why are supermarkets good? ›Shoppers can find everything they need in one place, rather than visit multiple stores. Supermarkets also offer a greater variety of brands and product types, making it easy to find the perfect item. Many supermarkets now offer organic and healthy food options and a wide selection of international foods.
Is grocery store and supermarket the same? ›Grocery Stores vs.
While food and drinks remain central to supermarkets, these stores devote more shelf space to other items than grocery stores. Supermarkets offer more household products, plus personal care products, cookware, and small kitchen appliances.
Which was the cheapest supermarket in December 2022? Latest research by Which? has determined that Aldi was the cheapest supermarket for December 2022, with Lidl a close second.
How can I buy a lot of food with little money? ›The best ways include buying in bulk when items are on sale, shopping seasonally and loading up on pantry staples. Compare prices online when you can (look for coupons while you're there) and stick to grocery stores nearby. With a little planning, your meals will be healthy and nutritious without breaking the bank.
Is Walmart or Costco cheaper? ›Costco is known for its ultra-low prices on bulk items. But Walmart offers really low prices, too. As such, it's very hard to say which of the two stores offers the best deals, because often, that will boil down to the specific things you're looking for.
Is Kroger cheaper than Walmart? ›There's no question about it, Walmart's prices beat Kroger.
Is Trader Joe's cheaper than Walmart? ›Trader Joe's is more expensive than Aldi and Walmart for nearly every grocery item, with a few notable exceptions.
What is the cheapest day to grocery shop? ›
If you want to maximize the chances of paying low prices at the grocery store, shopping mid-week may be the way to go. Specifically, many experts advise shopping on Wednesday and Thursday.
What's the most expensive grocery store? ›According to a survey conducted by Business Insider, Whole Foods is 15% more expensive than general grocery stores such as Walmart and Kroger.
Is Aldi or Trader Joe's cheaper? ›Both rely heavily on private-label brands for most products. Aldi has lower prices, while Trader Joe's has a neater, more appealing environment.
What is cheaper Costco or Kroger? ›Kroger is much cheaper, while Costco promises more stable earnings. Let's take a closer look at the key differences between the stocks.
Why do grocery stores have no windows? ›Without the windows, they are suspending time, more or less, so you don't feel in a hurry to leave. That is especially true if it is getting dark outside or if some bad weather is coming in. In addition, sunlight does have an impact on packaging.
What are the problems in supermarket? ›- Too many products, difficult to manage. Every supermarket stocks hundreds of different items. ...
- Payment is slow and takes longer when it is crowded. ...
- Goods are available or out of stock, easy to lose. ...
- Hard to track the sales whether it's profit or lose.
The five most important factors of a bricks-and-mortar grocery experience were value, price, product freshness, store cleanliness and stock availability. At the bottom end of the importance scale were services such as money exchange and coffee shops.
What is a small supermarket called? ›A grocery store is more specialized and not as large as a supermarket.
Is Costco considered a supermarket? ›Costco is not considered a grocery store
Another point to keep in mind when using rewards credit cards at Costco is that the wholesale club is not considered a grocery store.
Related keylists. Walmart Inc (Walmart) is a retailer that operates grocery stores, supermarkets, hypermarkets, department and discount stores, and neighborhood markets.
What grocery has the best deals? ›
...
Best Discount Grocery Stores to Shop
- Aldi. ...
- Walmart. ...
- Smart & Final. ...
- Food4Less. ...
- Publix. ...
- Family Dollar and Dollar Tree. ...
- Imperfect Foods. Imperfect Foods. ...
- Misfit Market. Misfits Market.
- Breakfast: Cheerios with milk and a banana, plus the free coffee I get from my office.
- Mid-morning snack: Granola bar or orange.
- Lunch: Whole wheat pasta dressed up with butter and salt.
- Dinner: Fried eggs, a side of rice, and a glass of milk.
- Take inventory of what's already in your pantry. Start off with a pantry that's stocked with daily essentials (that last a long time) so you don't need to add to your weekly list. ...
- Plan your menu for the entire week. ...
- Use ingredients in multiple ways. ...
- Cook once, eat twice.
- Rice. Rice can be purchased in bulk at very low prices and has a shelf life of over 10 years, when stored properly. ...
- Beans. Beans have a solid reputation as a survival food due to their complete nutritional profile. ...
- Grains. ...
- Salt, Sugar & Raw Honey. ...
- Storage.
- Apples.
- Bananas.
- Beans.
- Brown rice.
- Chicken.
- Chuck roast.
- Corn tortillas.
- Eggs.
- Eggs, 2 1/2 dozen. $2.69.
- Potatoes, 10 lbs. $2.89.
- Carrots, 2lbs. $0.99.
- Cabbage, 2 heads. $1.98.
- Onions, 3lbs. $0.69.
- Corn tortillas, 2pkgs (60). $2.56.
- Pinto beans, 2lbs. $1.78.
- Salsa, 1 jar. $1.69.
Does Costco or Sam's Club Have Better Prices? Overall, the prices at Costco tend to be cheaper. However, Sam's Club has a greater selection of name-brand products and a cheaper membership fee.
Is Sam's cheaper than Walmart? ›Caveats aside, Sam's Club came out ahead on almost every product. On a per-item basis, it cost around 25% less than Walmart and almost 10% less than Costco.
Is Costco worth it anymore? ›2. Is the standard Costco Gold Star Membership worth it? The standard Costco Gold Star membership is going to run you $60 per year. If you have a small family — or even if you live alone — and don't have a lot of space to store bulk food, I would say that any Costco membership won't be worth it for you.
Is Aldi's meat horse meat? ›No. Aldi does not sell horse meat. The controversy surrounding Aldi and horsemeat came about when some of its beef products contained up to 100% horsemeat. This scandal only affected stores in Europe, but it has since been cleared.
Are Aldi products good quality? ›
Indeed, 90% of Aldi's products are exclusive store brands, and many mimic the packaging and product of national brands. We found several great items at Aldi that deserve a spot on your grocery list based on quality or value — or both. That's good news as all of us are looking to cut corners on rampaging grocery bills.
What age is the senior citizen discount at Kroger? ›In case the nearby Kroger store is offering a senior discount, then you must be 55 years of age and above. It will be given to you once you present your Kroger Plus Card.
Is Target cheaper than Walmart now? ›...
2. Walmart vs. Target food prices: grocery prices are a tie.
According to Reader's Digest, Trader Joe's founder Joe Coulombe sold his business to Theo Albrecht in 1979, officially making the Albrecht family the proud owners of both prosperous markets. Since Aldi is split into two, per Forbes, Trader Joe's was officially bought by the Aldi Nord branch.
Who is Trader Joe's biggest competitor? ›Trader Joe's competitors include Whole Foods Market, Fairway Market, Walmart, Meijer and NatureBox. Trader Joe's ranks 1st in Overall Culture Score on Comparably vs its competitors.
How can I buy groceries for $25 a week? ›- Make a list of your favorite budget-friendly meals and eat those.
- Pack lunches for work or school instead of eating out.
- Make your grocery list and menu plan focused on the food that is on sale and what you already have in your kitchen.
6. Avoid weekends: Without a doubt, weekends are the busiest days to shop, with Saturday leading the list. Mondays and Tuesdays are the least busy but stores may be out of a lot of items, especially if sales start on Wednesday.
What is the best day to go to supermarket? ›While some stores follow different schedules, the bulk of grocery stores begin their weekly specials on Wednesdays. This makes Wednesdays the best time to shop if you want to get the most bang for your buck. Since the specials have just changed, some stores will also still honor the previous week's coupons and deals.
What is the number 1 grocery store in America? ›Walmart is by far the largest and most well-known food retailer in the world, consuming over a fourth of the entire grocery industry's annual sales.
Is Walmart really cheaper for groceries? ›
“But in general, most shoppers will find that groceries at Walmart can cost less overall, even for higher-end brands that will cost significantly more elsewhere, which means if you're on a tighter budget, grocery shopping at Walmart can help you ensure your dollar goes further.”
Which is cheaper Kroger or Aldi? ›What is the cheapest grocery store? If you are going by the everyday low prices at the store, the clear winner to the cheapest grocery store in 2022 is Aldi.
Why is Trader Joe's so special? ›Key points. Trader Joe's is the place to go if you love food and trying new products (and saving money in the process). You can try any product for free and return things you don't like for a refund. The store locations have a fun atmosphere and there are no coupons to clip or membership cards to sign up for.
Is Trader Joe's actually affordable? ›Trader Joe's is definitely cheaper than the average grocery store, but you might have to wait in a longer checkout line to take advantage of them.
Is Sam's Club better quality than Costco? ›Both Costco and Sam's Club offer similar products, services, and shopping experiences. You can't go wrong with either one of them. While Costco has higher membership costs, its high-quality Kirkland products are popular. Sam's Club has more brand-name products and offers similar benefits to Costco.
Is food actually cheaper at Costco? ›You don't pay attention to the price tags
If you buy food at Costco, you generally save because the chain doesn't mark up products as much as typical grocery stores, Demer says. “Costco prices average 10% less than the local big-box retailer,” she adds. But that doesn't mean everything is a good value.
Costco's most popular product is its toilet paper. Costco sells over a billion rolls a year.
What is a supermarket definition for kids? ›Supermarkets are large grocery stores that sell a large variety of fresh and packaged food and other consumer or household products. Supermarkets are divided into sections, such as dairy, produce (fruits and vegetables), meat, packaged goods, cleaning supplies, and personal hygiene items.
What is known as a supermarket? ›supermarket, large retail store operated on a self-service basis, selling groceries, fresh produce, meat, bakery and dairy products, and sometimes an assortment of nonfood goods.
What is the meaning of Supermart? ›(ˈsuːpərˌmɑːt ) a large self-service store selling food and household supplies.
How would you describe work in a supermarket? ›
Grocery clerks (or supermarket clerks) assist customers with shopping needs. They maintain product knowledge and memorize the location of items within the supermarket to answer inquiries. They also ensure all products are sufficiently stocked and displayed according to expiration dates.
Why is it called grocery? ›The history of grocery begins with a dealer who sold by the gross—that is, in large quantities at discounted retail prices. A grocer in medieval England was a wholesaler, and the name is derived from an Anglo-French word having the same meaning, groser.
Why is it called supermarket? ›early 12c., "a meeting at a fixed time for buying and selling livestock and provisions, an occasion on which goods are publicly exposed for sale and buyers assemble to purchase," from Old North French market "marketplace, trade, commerce" (Old French marchiet, Modern French marché), from Latin mercatus "trading, buying ...
What is another word for supermarket? ›- bodega.
- convenience store.
- corner store.
- food mart.
- food store.
- market.
- mom-and-pop store.
- retail food store.
The Smithsonian Institute acknowledges King Kullen as America's first supermarket, as it was “the first to fulfill all five criteria that define the modern supermarket: separate departments; self-service; discount pricing; chain marketing; and volume dealing.”
What is a supermarket called in America? ›In everyday U.S. usage, however, "grocery store" is synonymous with supermarket, and is not used to refer to other types of stores that sell groceries.
What language is Mart? ›Etymology 1
From Middle Dutch mart, markt (“market”) (Modern Dutch markt), from Old Dutch *markat, from Late Latin marcātus, an alternative form of Classical Latin mercātus.
A supermarket is a large-scale retail establishment that specializes in necessities and convenience items. They have large warehouses and sell both food and non-food items. It could be entirely owned and operated, or it could have some departments that are leased out on a concessional basis.
What does groceries mean in slang? ›According to Merriam-Webster, groceries are (n) items of food sold in a grocery store. As K. Michelle points out courtesy of Jhene Aiko, it's "someone actually putting their face to your backside and using their tongue," and I will let your mind wander with that visual.