‘Jumble sale’ Aldi kicks Waitrose off top of table

Budget supermarket named UK’S favourite as customers forgive mess in favour of value for money

ALDI has knocked Waitrose off the top spot as Britain’s favourite supermarket as customers say “jumble sale” stores are worth it for discounts.

The budget retailer was placed first in the in-store category in a satisfaction survey of 6,800 shoppers who were asked about their experience of shopping for groceries over the previous six months.

Marks & Spencer was placed second, while Lidl was third, with Sainsbury’s at the bottom of the in-store survey.

Despite Aldi’s stores being described by some in the survey as “untidy” and “a jumble sale” and customers complaining about rushed checkouts, value for money was a key factor in its climb to the top spot.

Supermarkets were ranked in the instore category based on consumers’ feelings about the appearance of stores, queuing time, staff availability, the range and quality of products and value for money.

Waitrose, which had previously held the top position for three years, fell to fourth place.

Separate studies have previously suggested that the “Waitrose effect” of having one of its stores nearby can help to add value to residents’ homes.

Consumer experts Which? carried out the research and said customers gave Waitrose a two-star rating for its value for money, in contrast to Aldi’s five. They also said Aldi’s special offers rated well, as did the quality of its fresh and own-label products and the ease of finding items on its shelves. The last time Aldi came top in the annual survey was in 2014.

Matthew Barnes, Aldi’s chief executive for the UK and Ireland, said: “We’re over the moon to be named the best supermarket in the Which? annual customer satisfaction survey voted for by UK shoppers. At Aldi, we’re proud to offer fantastic quality products at amazing prices and to be named the UK’S favourite supermarket shows just how much we are resonating with shoppers.”

Aldi fans loved the supermarket’s “fantastic prices” with many also praising an “always improving” selection of food, Which? found.

One customer said Waitrose is “a bit pricey – which is why I don’t do my main shop there”, while others praised its “top quality” produce and “polite customers”.

A Waitrose spokesman pointed out that Which? had awarded its shops more categories with a five-star rating for customer satisfaction than any other retailer in the study and that its score for its online grocery service had also improved.

‘To be named the UK’S favourite supermarket shows just how much we are resonating with shoppers’

Five-star ratings were not directly linked to Which?’s overall scores. The Waitrose spokesman said: “As Which? itself says, many customers praised our top quality produce.”

A Sainsbury’s spokesman said it was “confused by the methodology” used to create the rankings, pointing out that its stores had outperformed the top-ranked in-store supermarket in the star ratings system on measures such as store appearance, queuing time, staff availability and range of products and had matched it on quality of ownlabel products and fresh products.

In the online category, people were asked about the convenience of delivery slots, the choice of substitute items and drivers’ service as well as quality, product ranges and value for money.

Among the online supermarkets, Iceland claimed the top spot for the third year running, which it shares with Ocado for the first time. Iceland received five stars for its drivers’ service and delivery slot availability.

Asda was placed at the bottom of the online supermarkets table, where Which? said it has been for more than a decade.