Aldi named UK’s cheapest supermarket

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The cheapest supermarket in the UK has been revealed as Aldi, which narrowly beat its rival, Lidl, to the number one spot.

According to research conducted by consumer watchdogs Which?, the supermarket was the cheapest supermarket for six of the last 12 months.

Lidl, meanwhile, was the cheapest for five months last year.

In December, Lidl was charging £23.29 for a basket of 22 groceries compared with £23.64 at Aldi.

Both supermarkets were in joint place as the cheapest option for the month of January last year, with one basket containing 19 items costing £18.45 at both shops.

As part of its research, Which? found that grocery prices across the UK’s eight big supermarkets had gone up by nine per cent more in December compared to January.

Waitrose increased its prices by the highest amount, according to Which?, while Sainsbury’s increased them the least, at 0.59 per cent.

Waitrose was named the most expensive supermarket for the entirety of 2021; a basket of everyday items cost between £6 to over £10 more per month than the cheapest alternative.

In terms of which items were looked at, everyday items included Kenco coffee, OXO stock cubes and PG Tips tea bags.

Additionally, own-label products such as onions and milk, were included.

Which? retail editor Ele Clark said: “No one wants to overpay for basic groceries, especially when a cost-of-living crunch is putting extra pressure on household budgets.

“Our findings show that while prices are going up, some supermarkets are passing their rising costs on to shoppers more than others.

“As well as choosing a supermarket that is cheap overall, other ways to save include swapping from branded to own-brand products, sticking to a shopping list and resisting the temptation to pick up special offers you don’t need.”

Additional reporting by PA.