The supermarket was named the cheapest for branded groceries, securing the top spot for the second consecutive month
With grocery and energy costs on the rise, shoppers are more careful than ever about their supermarket spending. Many Britons use supermarket loyalty schemes to save on branded groceries, while budget retailers like Lidl and Aldi typically offer lower prices on unbranded items.
However, the latest Which? monthly price analysis found that Asda was the cheapest supermarket for branded goods, outperforming the nation’s biggest loyalty schemes.
The British supermarket has come out on top for the second month running, beating members-only prices at both Tesco and Sainsbury’s.
Which? analysed the prices of 241 popular branded groceries, including Dove, Chicago Town, Kellogg’s, Nescafé, Tilda and Mr Kipling, every day for a month to calculate the average cost per item. They then added those up to get each supermarket’s average basket price.
The analysis found that Asda’s basket cost £813.16 in March, with these prices – available to all shoppers – 1% cheaper than Clubcard prices at Tesco and 4% cheaper than Nectar prices at Sainsbury’s.
Morrisons was, on average, 6% more expensive than Asda, with a basket costing £858.67 for More card holders, and £860.79 without the card.
For shoppers who don’t use loyalty cards, whether due to ineligibility or data privacy concerns, the price gap is even larger.
Without a loyalty card, shopping at Sainsbury’s (£933.82) was found to be 15% more expensive than Asda, while Tesco (£911.64) was 12% more expensive. Notably, for the second month running, both Tesco and Sainsbury’s were pricier than Waitrose (£902.83) for non-loyalty shoppers.
Although Aldi and Lidl are often the cheapest supermarkets overall, they were excluded from this analysis because they do not stock a broad selection of branded items.
Some individual items saw markups over 100% for non-members. For instance, Nescafé Azera Americano (90g) costs £3.50 with a Tesco Clubcard but £7.25 for non-members – a 107% increase.
The biggest price difference in March, for the second month in a row, was Tilda boil-in-the-bag basmati rice (four-pack), which cost £1 at Tesco without a loyalty card versus £2.25 at Waitrose, a 115% difference.
There were also significant differences when it came to Filippo Berio olive oil, depending on which supermarket you shopped in.
Filippo Berio Classic Olive Oil (500ml) costs £4.98 on average at Asda, compared to £8.51 at Waitrose, a £3.53 (71%) difference. The brand’s Extra Virgin Olive Oil (750ml) was £7 at Morrisons and £11.35 at Waitrose, a £4.35 (62%) difference.
Which? also found Waitrose to be the cheapest for several items, such as Twinings Everyday Tea Bags (80 bags), which averaged £3.21 at Waitrose versus £5.61 at Morrisons – a 75% difference.
Similarly, Vimto No Added Sugar Squash (1000ml) was £1.36 at Waitrose, but £2.25 at Sainsbury’s and Tesco for non-members – a 65% difference.
Colgate Plax Cool Mint Mouthwash (500ml) was £2.47 for Tesco Clubcard holders, but £4.50 on average for non-members at Tesco and Sainsbury’s – an 82% difference.
Reena Sewraz, Which? retail editor said: “Our latest analysis shows Asda beats the UK’s biggest loyalty schemes to be the cheapest for branded goods for the second month running. Meanwhile, shoppers without a membership at Tesco or Sainsbury’s are being charged up to 15% more than the cheaper option – which can make those shops more expensive than Waitrose.
“If you’re loyal to specific brands, the current market is a bit of a lottery. You could easily end up paying double for the exact same jar of coffee or bag of rice depending on where you shop. While membership cards offer targeted discounts, Asda’s straightforward pricing is proving more reliable for fans of big brands who want to keep their grocery bills under control without the need for a card.”
A Sainsbury’s spokesperson said: “More than four in five of the items flagged in this report were cheaper on Nectar Prices and our customers know a good deal when they see one.
“We are committed to delivering outstanding value on the products people buy the most, including over 700 products in the biggest Aldi Price Match on the market and our own‐brand value lines.”
A spokesperson for Tesco said: “It is no surprise that Clubcard Prices deliver great value for customers, and with more than 80% of sales involving a Clubcard there are millions of people taking advantage of this every week. However, shoppers can also get great value on thousands of products without using their Clubcard thanks to our combination of Aldi Price Match and Everyday Low Prices.”
A Waitrose spokesperson said: “We consistently offer great value on our customers’ favourite brands. This assessment only provides a snapshot, and does not take into account the wide range of promotions on other products belonging to the brands included within this analysis.”
