Aldi wins march price test for 79 essentials, with Lidl close behind and Waitrose priciest by far.

Aldi has once again claimed the crown as Britain’s cheapest supermarket, beating rivals including Tesco, Asda and Lidl in a monthly comparison of grocery essentials.

Consumer watchdog Which? examined the average prices of 79 essential groceries throughout March across eight of the UK’s biggest supermarkets. The list featured a mix of branded and own-label products — including Birds Eye peas, Hovis bread, milk and butter.

Aldi emerged on top with an average basket cost of just £133.73, offering shoppers a massive saving of £42.68 compared to the most expensive retailer, Waitrose. At Waitrose, the same or closely comparable products would have cost a hefty £176.41.

Close behind Aldi was Lidl, with the same items priced at £134.40 using its Lidl Plus loyalty scheme, or £134.43 without. That’s a difference of just 67p – a sign of the neck-and-neck battle between the UK’s two budget titans.

Tesco came in third — but only for shoppers using a Clubcard. Those with the loyalty discount paid £146.79, while non-Clubcard customers paid a steeper £149.83. Meanwhile, Asda customers would pay £147.09 for the 79 items.

Here’s how the other supermarkets stacked up for the same list of essentials:

• Sainsbury’s (with Nectar) – £150.46
  
• Morrisons (with More) – £155.47
  
• Morrisons (without More) – £156.86
  
• Sainsbury’s (without Nectar) – £159.24
  
• Ocado – £167.20
  

Reena Sewraz, Which? retail editor, said Aldi continues to offer “unbeatable value,” although Lidl is closing the gap fast. She also highlighted that switching supermarkets could reduce your bill by up to 24%, encouraging households to shop around if they can.

“While Aldi remains cheapest, it’s also a strong month for Asda,” she added, noting that Asda remains the cheapest for a larger selection of groceries not stocked by Aldi or Lidl.

That broader list includes 203 items, such as a wider selection of branded goods that Aldi and Lidl often don’t carry. For this larger shop, Asda ranked as the most affordable at £498.00, undercutting even Tesco with Clubcard prices.

At the other end of the scale, Waitrose again proved the most expensive — charging a whopping £573.15 for the same basket, £75.15 more than Asda, and about 15% higher.

Here’s how the supermarkets performed on the 203-item list:

• Tesco (with Clubcard) – £503.03
  
• Sainsbury’s (with Nectar) – £515.79
  
• Morrisons (with More) – £522.27
  
• Morrisons (without More) – £534.80
  
• Tesco (without Clubcard) – £540.63
  
• Ocado – £553.46
  
• Sainsbury’s (without Nectar) – £559.66
  

Which? calculates its monthly rankings using average prices over four weeks, ensuring a fair comparison. Although own-label items aren’t identical, the products compared are closely matched in weight, quality and brand equivalence.

The data offers a clear incentive for families looking to slash grocery bills, especially as the cost-of-living squeeze continues to bite. For those willing to skip the brand names and shop strategically, Aldi and Lidl remain the go-to for serious savings