Aldi has reclaimed its position as the most affordable supermarket in the UK, according to recent findings by consumer group Which?. Their study revealed that a basket of 70 items at Aldi averaged £121.22 last month, edging out Lidl, which had held the top spot in October with an average of £122.35 for the same items, or £1.13 more for members of its Lidl Plus loyalty program. Meanwhile, Tesco’s 70-item basket was priced higher, but Clubcard members saved an average of £2.55, with totals coming to £133.65 compared to £136.20.

On the other end of the spectrum, Waitrose emerged as the priciest option, averaging £166.79 for the same basket, highlighting a potential saving of over £45 for families choosing Aldi or Waitrose for their groceries.

Which? conducts a monthly comparison of prices at eight different supermarket chains for a selection of 70 items, including both own-label products and popular brands like Birds Eye and Hovis.

In a separate comparison of 183 groceries, excluding Aldi and Lidl due to their smaller range of branded products, Asda came out as the most budget-friendly option, averaging £455.52 last month. Asda’s prices were £9.71 lower than Tesco’s for the same items with Clubcard discounts.

Conversely, Waitrose led as the most expensive choice for the larger shopping list, costing £522.91, a substantial difference of £67.39 compared to Asda’s prices. This trend continued with the smaller list of items, where Waitrose’s average of £166.79 was 38% higher than Aldi’s, equating to a savings of £45.57.

Reena Sewraz, Which? retail editor, emphasized the ongoing competition between discounters like Aldi and Lidl, providing money-saving opportunities for consumers. She also noted that Asda remains a top contender for affordability, particularly for those seeking a wider range of branded products. With the holiday season approaching, cost-conscious households are advised to compare prices across supermarkets to potentially save 27% on their grocery bills.