The supermarket is described as ‘the most consistent for affordable branded goods’ — it’s not Aldi or Lidl.
A UK supermarket has been named the cheapest for the seventh consecutive month
The UK’s cheapest supermarket has been named — and it’s the same one for the seventh month in a row. Asda has been named the cheapest supermarket for branded groceries in August, even when compared against Tesco Clubcard and Sainsbury’s Nectar prices.
The Which? research also showed shoppers can pay more than double for identical products depending on where they shop and whether they use a loyalty card.
In an analysis of 220 popular branded groceries – including Heinz beans, Nescafé coffee and Mr Kipling cakes – the consumer champion found Asda was once again the cheapest supermarket overall, with the list costing £771.21 on average throughout August.
While Which? regularly finds Aldi and Lidl are the cheapest supermarkets overall in its monthly supermarket price comparisons, they are not included in this branded grocery analysis because they do not stock a sufficiently wide range of branded products.
Tesco using a Clubcard (£782.39), Sainsbury’s with a Nectar card (£787.57) and Morrisons with More (£797.32) were the next-cheapest on average after Asda.
However, shoppers without loyalty cards faced significantly higher costs, with Tesco (£860.29) and Sainsbury’s (£869.16) both proving more expensive than Waitrose (£839.71) and Ocado (£815.28) on average, highlighting the stark impact loyalty pricing can have on the cost of branded groceries.
Shopping at Sainsbury’s without a Nectar card was the most expensive option overall, costing nearly 13 per cent more than Asda.
Price of same product at different supermarkets varies by up to 114%
Which? also found price differences of up to 114 per cent across everyday household items in major supermarkets in August.
On average, Listerine Total Care Clean Mint Antibacterial Mouthwash (500ml) continues to see the biggest difference between the highest and lowest price. It was at its lowest price, on average, at Sainsbury’s with a Nectar card (£2.80) and highest at both Sainsbury’s and Tesco without a loyalty card (£6) – a huge 114 per cent difference.
Which? found several other branded products – including Colgate Plax Cool Mint Mouthwash (500ml), Tilda Boil In Bag Basmati Rice (4 x 62.5g), Fox’s Chocolatey Milk Chocolate Biscuits Rounds (130g) and Vimto No Added Sugar Squash (1000ml) priced at around twice as much at the most expensive supermarket compared with the cheapest.
There were 149 products from Sainsbury’s on loyalty promotion through the month of the consumer champion’s analysis, 143 at Tesco and six at Morrisons. None of the items in Which?’s analysis were subject to loyalty discounts at Waitrose. Asda and Ocado do not operate member-only pricing in the same way.
While loyalty cards can unlock substantial savings, some shoppers remain unwilling or unable to participate due to concerns around data privacy or eligibility requirements.
Shoppers looking to make the biggest savings may want to consider ditching branded goods altogether. Which? regularly finds supermarket own-brand alternatives are significantly cheaper and often just as good as well-known branded products. Reena Sewraz, Which? retail editor, said: “With many households still facing intense financial strain, Asda has proved to be the most consistent for affordable branded goods. This month’s analysis also found that customers can pay more than double for identical products depending on where they shop and whether they use a loyalty card. To avoid paying more than you need to, shoppers should try to look out for promotions on branded items, compare value across different products, and check rival retailers to ensure they are getting a genuine deal.”
How Which? calculated the cheapest supermarket
Which? analysed the price of 220 groceries from the most popular brands – including Chicago Town, Dove, Kellogg’s, Mr Kipling, Nescafé and Tilda – every day over the course of a month to work out the average cost per item. These are added up to get each supermarket’s average total price.
The list represents the most popular brands across a wide range of grocery categories based on industry data and is designed to produce a robust sample rather than to be representative of a typical shop.
Which? includes loyalty discounts separately in the table where they are available. The value of points, personalised discounts or other rewards are not included as these vary.
What the supermarkets said
Each supermarket included in the price analysis was given the right to reply to specific examples by Which?
A spokesperson for Asda said: “We’re proud that Which? has named Asda the lowest-priced supermarket for branded products for a seventh consecutive month. Others may talk about ‘unbeatable prices’, but independent research continues to show that Asda customers get the best prices on their favourite brands.”
A Morrisons spokesperson said: “Morrisons remains committed to providing good, honest value and that’s why we are guaranteeing ‘Unbeatable Prices’ on hundreds of weekly essentials.
“In addition, our More Card members can earn Five More Points on every product in store, online and in Morrisons Daily stores and also benefit from personalised offers and money-off coupons on the things they buy the most of. Customers to our Cafés can also take advantage of a range of offers such as our Kids Eat Free promotion, which runs every day, or free refills on all hot drinks.”
A Sainsbury’s spokesperson said: “We have not been able to verify the calculations used by Which? as the group has not shared its full analysis with us. With 85 per cent of sales involving a Nectar card, we’re confident our customers know they can get great value when they shop with us.
“We’re focused on offering outstanding value on the products people buy most often, with more than 10,000 Nectar Price offers available every week on top of personalised Your Nectar Prices.”
Tesco, Waitrose and Ocado did not provide comment.
