Supermarket prices: Aldi basket cheaper despite Sainsbury’s Nectar card change

Sainsbury’s has announced it will be offering lower prices on more than 300 items to members of its Nectar loyalty card scheme - but how does it compare to other supermarket chains?

The cost-of-living crisis has pushed many of us to make changes in our grocery shopping. Data from research firm Kantar shows frozen food is now outperforming fresh as people try to cut costs.

But perhaps it is not what we shop, but where we shop that needs to change.

According to YouGov, the UK’s favourite supermarkets are Iceland, Aldi, Tesco, Morrisons and Sainsbury’s.

We picked nine popular items and compared similar, if not identical, products from each store to find out which basket would be the cheapest.

Despite not offering a loyalty card, German supermarket Aldi was the most affordable overall - 25% cheaper than its most expensive competitor, Iceland.

Iceland

Iceland offers lower prices to loyalty card holders, but none applied to our items. It was the most expensive supermarket overall, with our basket totalling £14.75.

Milk £1.15 Bread £1.00 Eggs £1.80 Potatoes £2.25 Bananas £1 Bacon £2.25 Butter £2.00 Juice £1.45 Digestive Biscuits £1.85

Aldi

Despite not offering a loyalty card, Aldi compares well to its rivals. For potatoes and biscuits, in particular, it can't be beaten. Aldi offers cheaper own-brand items which allow their shoppers to keep their costs lower. Total: £10.68.

Milk £1.30 Bread £1.00 Eggs £1.55 Potatoes £1 Bananas £0.89 Bacon £1.45 Butter £1.99 Juice £0.95 Digestive Biscuits £0.55

Tesco

Tesco is often recognised as the “nation’s favourite supermarket” and its Clubcard is very popular, offering holders very low, sometimes even half, prices on popular items. In this case, however, few of these offers applied. Total: £12.89.

Milk £1.25 Bread £1.00 Eggs £1.70 Potatoes £1.50 Bananas £0.90 Bacon £1.85 Butter £1.99 Juice £0.95 Digestive Biscuits £ 1.75

Morrisons

Morrisons was the second most expensive, totalling £14.17. It has a loyalty card, but it does not give the holders lower prices (only special prizes or points towards a voucher to spend in store). Despite all the supermarkets having the same brand and variety available (Warburtons wholemeal bread), Morrisons was 15p more expensive than the rest.

Milk £1.30 Bread £1.15 Eggs £1.75 Potatoes £1.29 Bananas £0.99 Bacon £2.25 Butter £1.99 Juice £1.20 Digestive Biscuits £2.25

Sainsbury’s

Sainsbury’s was second cheapest (though only 1p cheaper than Tesco) at £12.88. Despite the big news of Sainsbury’s Nectar card prices, no discounts apply to the items in our baskets.

Milk £1.25 Bread £1.00 Eggs £1.75 Potatoes £1.25 Bananas £0.89 Bacon £2.00 Butter £1.99 Juice £0.95 Digestive Biscuits £1.80