Watchdog finds Aldi is cheapest ...but Waitrose is top of the shops
SHOPPERS planning on cutting shopping bills should head for discounter Aldi where a trolley of 70 items is £22 less than Sainsbury’s and £38 cheaper than Waitrose, writes RUKI SAYID.
A price comparison by consumer watchdog Which? across seven major supermarkets found Aldi offered the best value for money and was more than £3 cheaper than arch rival Lidl and £18 less than Tesco.
According to the research, dozens of staples from bread and tea bags to eggs and fresh veg totalled a bargain £60.01 at Aldi, £63.66 at Lidl and £71.13 at Asda.
The same products cost £78.28 at Tesco, £79.54 at Morrisons and £82.39 at Sainsbury’s.
But the difference between the Aldi and Waitrose basket was a whopping £38.52 with shoppers at the upmarket chain paying £98.53 for the same list of items.
The research found shoppers could pick up a pack of six tomatoes at Aldi for 67p compared with 75p at Waitrose and Tesco. A kilo of onions was 68p at the discounter and 95p at Waitrose. But the posh grocery chain can console itself after being named Supermarket of the Year by Which?, seeing off contenders Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury’s and Iceland which all made the shortlist.
Judges said Waitrose scooped the coveted award for the “exemplary way it handled an increase in demand during the pandemic” and ensured the elderly and vulnerable were not forgotten.
Anabel Hoult, Which? chief executive, said: “Supermarkets in particular have experienced incredibly turbulent times, first with a surge in demand for key items, followed by a greater demand for delivery slots, especially for elderly and vulnerable customers or those required to self-isolate.
“The way in which Waitrose has risen to the challenge, resulting in overwhelmingly positive feedback from consumers, is why we’re pleased to name them Which? Best Supermarket 2020.”