Aldi is still the cheapest for a shopping cart full of groceries – despite price guarantees and loyalty cards from competitors

Aldi has been crowned the cheapest supermarket for a shopping cart of 65 items, despite rivals promising to match prices, new findings show.

In June, the average bill for a shopping trolley of 65 items at Aldi was £118.41. That’s £32.60 less than Waitrose, which was the most expensive at £151.01.

Waitrose turned out to be almost 28 percent more expensive than Aldi for the same products in June.

Julie Ashfield, Buying Director at Aldi UK, said: ‘We’re proud to have been named the cheapest supermarket for the sixth time this year. It confirms that Aldi’s prices simply can’t be beaten, even with a loyalty card.

‘After all, there is only one supermarket where all prices are Aldi prices.

‘But with us, customers not only get consistently low prices, but also award-winning quality.’

Aldi was £19.10 cheaper than Sainsbury’s Nectar and £15.89 cheaper than Tesco Clubcard for the same groceries.

Lidl was the second cheapest supermarket last month, with 65 items normally priced at £121.31, just £2.90 more than Aldi, according to consumer body Which?

Asda was the fourth cheapest store after Aldi, Lidl and Tesco Clubcard, with a shopping trolley costing £131.42.

Waitrose proved to be the most expensive, but Morrisons and Ocado were not far behind, with average bills of £140.19 and £144.06 respectively.

Which? doesn’t provide the full list of items in the basket, but told This is Money it included a number of branded and own-label products, including Birds Eye peas, Heinz baked beans, milk, butter and Hovis bread.

The findings include prices for shopping with a Nectar loyalty card at Sainsbury’s and a Clubcard at Tesco, with customers getting cheaper offers in exchange for the loyalty card.

Without a Sainsbury’s Nectar card or Tesco loyalty card, the bills at the two supermarkets came to £137.51 and £134.30 respectively, according to Which?.

Ele Clark, Which? retail editor, said: ‘With food prices continuing to squeeze household budgets, it’s no surprise that many people are choosing to shop at discounters, with Aldi once again winning the title of cheapest supermarket.

‘Our analysis shows that Aldi and Lidl are still cheaper than traditional supermarkets, even when you include loyalty prices.’

Crowned: Aldi is cheapest supermarket in new Which? research

Pricey: Waitrose was revealed as the most expensive supermarket last month according to Which?

Supermarket price wars

Consumers are facing huge price increases at supermarket checkouts due to higher inflation and higher interest rates.

Supermarkets are engaged in a price war to ensure they keep the flow of customers and attract a loyal following. Loyalty programs have become big business for many chains.

Some chains, such as Sainsbury’s and Tesco, are increasingly using membership prices, meaning that customers without a loyalty card have to pay higher prices for certain products.

While supermarkets are engaged in a price war, many consumers are struggling with high bills.

Nearly one in four consumers said they were struggling to keep up with sky-high bills and make ends meet, research by Kantar found last month.

However, Kantar noted in its findings that food prices had begun to fall.

In June it said: ‘Costs are falling in nearly a third of the grocery categories we track, including toilet paper, butter and milk. That’s a big jump from last year, when only 1 percent of markets fell.’

Inflation rose by 2 percent in the year to May, compared with 2.3 percent in the 12 months to April, the Office for National Statistics reported last month.

The biggest contribution to falling inflation was from lower food prices, the report said.

I can’t afford to shop at Waitrose

On a budget: Jenny Blyth shops at Aldi and says she can’t afford M&S or Waitrose

Jenny Blyth, 37, lives in North London with her sister and runs her own business, Storm in a Teacup Gifts.

She told This is Money: ‘I go to Aldi about once a week because the prices are so competitive and the products are great. They’ve started introducing bigger ranges and the middle aisle is fantastic.

‘Brand names have never been important to me, so I’m glad Aldi is going to offer quality products for a fraction of the price. Although sometimes I can’t find everything I need.’

Jenny spends around £50 a week, or £200 a month, on groceries, but her bills have only increased in recent years. As a self-employed small business owner, she finds it hard to cope.

She said: ‘Waitrose and M&S are definitely out of my budget. I might go there if it’s a special occasion or if I need something specific, but unless it’s on sale I probably wouldn’t buy anything.’

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