Brits switch from Aldi to Lidl as they find cheaper supermarket for essentials

A supermarket that was previously the most expensive for a basket of essentials is now the cheapest of all.

For nearly three months, Asda was the priciest of the six main supermarkets for eight basic grocery items including bread, butter, milk, beans, tea, coffee, chicken and mince. But with other supermarkets increasing the cost of their cheapest mince in recent weeks, Asda is now the only place where you can find a 500g pack for under £3, with its bill for the basket totalling £13.09. Lidl has just this week increased its mince from £2.99 to £3.19 - a rise of almost 7% - meaning it's dropped to third cheapest, behind Aldi, where a slight decrease in the price of chicken breasts has brought its bill to £13.17.

The price of chicken has also fallen at both Morrisons and Sainsbury's, meaning after 11 weeks at the bottom of the table, Sainsbury's has passed the unfortunate title of most expensive supermarket to Tesco, where the bill for the eight items totals £13.81, reports Manchester Evening News.

It is important to note however that a number of supermarkets disagree with the comparison.

Among them is Aldi, which argues the list fails to account for differences in quality, claiming, for instance, that its own Diplomat Red Label tea bags and its coffee are "superior quality" compared to the rival products assessed. The discount retailer maintains its tins of beans are also weightier than some competitors.

However, when examining meat products, Aldi, alongside Lidl and Morrisons, stocks a 25% fat pack, whilst Asda, Tesco, and Sainsbury's offer a 20% fat pack, which is considered superior quality.

An Aldi spokesperson commented: "Our customers know they can always count on us for great value across the board, without needing to join a club or show a loyalty card. That's why Which? has named us Cheapest Supermarket of the Year for four years running."

Sainsbury's has also previously highlighted that industry-wide factors have affected beef pricing.

A spokesperson said: "This review of a limited number of products does not reflect the fantastic value our customers will find at Sainsbury's. We are committed to offering the best possible value across a wide variety of products – whether that's through our value Stamford Street range, Low Everyday Prices, Aldi Price Match or Nectar Prices."

A spokesperson for Asda commented: "It's fantastic to see our investment in lowering prices making a real difference for customers, and we remain committed to delivering outstanding value.

"More than 50% of our products - over 14,000 - have been or are currently going through the Rollback cycle before moving to a new, permanently low Asda Price. Customers don't need a loyalty card to access these prices, and Asda is now consistently recognised as the lowest-priced full-service supermarket in independent price surveys."

Asda

• Loaf of white bread 800g - 55p
• Milk 2 pints - £1.20
• Coffee 200g (2 x 100g) - £2.30
• Teabags 160 (4 x 40-pack) - £1.60
• Salted butter 250g - £1.99
• Beans 410g tin - 28p
• Chicken 300g - £2.18
• Mince 500g 20% fat - £2.99

Total £13.09

• Aldi
• Loaf of white bread 800g - 55p
• Milk 2 pints - £1.20
• Coffee 200g - £2.09
• Teabags 160 - £1.85
• Salted butter 250g - £1.99
• Beans 420g tin - 27p
• Chicken 300g - £2.15 (down from £2.19)
• Mince 500g 25% fat - £3.09

Total £13.17 (down from £13.23)

Lidl

• Loaf of white bread 800g - 55p
• Milk 2 pints - £1.20
• Coffee 200g - £1.99
• Tea bags 240 pack - £2.79 / equates to £1.86 for 160
• Salted butter 250g - £1.99
• Beans 420g tin - 27p
• Chicken 300g - £2.19
• Mince 500g 25% fat - £3.19 (up from £2.99)

Total £13.24 (up from £13.04)

Morrisons

• Loaf of white bread 800g - 55p
• Milk 2 pints - £1.25
• Coffee (2 x 100g) - £2.30
• Teabags 160 (2 x 80-pack Savers) - £1.80
• Savers Salted butter 250g - £1.99
• Beans 410g tin - 26p
• Chicken 300g - £2.48 for 330g, equates to £2.25 for 300g (down from £2.90 / £2.64)
• Mince 500g 25% fat - £3.09 (up from £2.99)

Total £13.49 (down from £13.78)

Sainsbury’s

• Loaf of bread 800g - 55p
• Milk 2 pints - £1.20
• Coffee 200g - £2.30
• Teabags 160 - £1.85
• Salted butter 250g - £1.99
• Beans 400g tin - 26p
• Chicken 300g - £2.29 for 320g, equates to £2.15 for 300g (down from £2.34/£2.19)
• Mince 500g 20% fat - £3.50

Total £13.80 (down from £13.84)

Tesco

• Loaf of white bread 800g - 55p
• Milk 2 pints - £1.20
• Coffee 200g (2 x 100g) - £2.30
• Teabags 160 (2 x 80-pack) - £1.80
• Salted butter 250g - £1.99
• Beans 420g tin - 28p
• Chicken 300g - £2.34 for 320g, equates to £2.19 for 300g
• Mince 500g 20% fat - £3.50

Total £13.81