UK's Cheapest Supermarket Named As Lidl Loses Crown

The cheapest supermarket in the UK has been revealed.

Consumer group Which? named Aldi the cheapest supermarket for six of the last 12 months, with runner-up Lidl  - the 2020 winner - narrowly missing out having been cheapest five of the 12 months, including the much vaunted festive period in December.

Which? compiles the information by measuring the price of a basket of everyday groceries.

The research shows that grocery prices have been steadily rising across the board throughout 2021.

Waitrose prices increased the most during that period - by a whopping 9.2% - and Sainsbury's the least, at 0.59%.

When it came to December and the run-up to Christmas, Waitrose was found to be more than £9, or 41%, more expensive than Lidl, at £32.85 for a basket of 22 items.

Lidl's basket came in at £23.29 compared with Aldi's £23.64.

The research saw Asda come third, while Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Morrison’s were fourth, fifth and sixth respectively.

How the research was conducted

The shopping list combined branded items such as Kenco coffee, Oxo stock cubes and PG Tips tea bags with own-label products including onions and milk, selected to ensure they were as comparable as possible across the retailers on factors such as weight and quality.

The findings were released as charities warn that millions more families are facing a stark choice between eating and heating amid a sharp rise in the cost of living, chiefly led by unprecedented increases in energy prices.

Which? retail editor, Ele Clark, told Sky News:

"No one wants to overpay for basic groceries, especially when a cost-of-living crunch is putting extra pressure on household budgets.

"Our findings show that while prices are going up, some supermarkets are passing their rising costs on to shoppers more than others."