Aldi has once again been named the most budget-friendly supermarket in the UK, according to the latest price comparison by Which?. In September, the average cost for a basket of 71 items at Aldi totaled £122.77, making it £1.18 cheaper than Lidl, where the same items cost an average of £123.95.

Which? conducts monthly comparisons of popular grocery items at the eight largest supermarkets in the UK. The analysis factors in regular prices, promotional offers, and loyalty discounts but excludes multi-buy deals.

In the recent analysis, none of the 71 items were cheaper for Lidl Plus customers. The basket included various products such as Birds Eye Peas, Hovis bread, milk, and butter.

Tesco secured the third spot in the rankings, with Clubcard holders spending £135.64 on average, while non-Clubcard holders paid £138.66 for the same items.

Sainsbury’s Nectar cardholders paid an average of £138.74 for the basket of goods, whereas non-cardholders spent £142.70 at Sainsbury’s. Additionally, Which? compares a longer list of 186 items, excluding Aldi and Lidl due to their smaller product range.

For the extended list in September, Asda emerged as the most economical choice with an average bill of £465.66, beating Tesco with a Clubcard, where the same items cost £472.45.

Conversely, Waitrose stood out as the priciest option, with an average cost of £161.19 for a smaller shop and a whopping £531.39 for a larger one.

Reena Sewraz, Which? Retail Editor, emphasized Aldi’s consistent affordability and highlighted Asda’s competitiveness for a broader range of groceries. She advised consumers to compare prices diligently, as switching to a cheaper supermarket could lead to savings of up to 36% amidst rising food prices and cooling weather conditions.