What Is the Cheapest Supermarket in the UK Today?

Latest Supermarket Price Comparison: Which Stores Offer the Best Value?

Food shopping remains one of the biggest weekly expenses for most UK households. Even small price differences between supermarkets can add up over a full month, especially if you are feeding a family or buying the same essentials every week.

With grocery prices still putting pressure on budgets, many shoppers are asking the same question as they plan their next shop.

Which UK supermarket was the cheapest in May 2026?

The latest Which? supermarket price comparison shows that Aldi was the cheapest supermarket in May 2026. Which? compared 95 popular branded and own-brand groceries across the major UK supermarkets, tracking prices throughout the month.

Aldi’s basket cost £168.30 on average, putting it in first place for the fifth month in a row.

Lidl remained very close behind, which keeps the usual discounter battle tight. With Lidl Plus discounts included, the same basket cost £170.58, while Lidl without Lidl Plus came in at £170.66. That means the Lidl Plus saving was only 8p across the whole basket in this month’s comparison.

Waitrose was the most expensive supermarket in the May 2026 results. The same basket cost £235.49 on average, £67.19 more than Aldi's. That is nearly 40% higher, showing how much the choice of supermarket can affect the cost of a regular shop.

Cheapest supermarket for a smaller shop

Which? compared 95 popular groceries for its May 2026 supermarket price comparison. The basket included a mix of branded and own-brand items, making it useful for comparing a typical everyday shop. The results show that Aldi and Lidl are still difficult to beat for this kind of basket.

Supermarket	Average price for 95 items
Aldi	£168.30
Lidl with Lidl Plus	£170.58
Lidl	£170.66
Asda	£192.58
Tesco with Clubcard	£196.88
Morrisons	£197.50
Sainsbury’s with Nectar	£198.79
Tesco	£202.27
Sainsbury’s	£206.18
Ocado	£217.86
Waitrose	£235.49

The figures show that Aldi was £2.28 cheaper than Lidl with Lidl Plus. The gap between Aldi and Asda was much larger, at £24.28. For shoppers choosing between the discounters and Waitrose, the difference was more than £67 on the same list of groceries.

There were 41 loyalty discounts in the May comparison. Which? counted 18 for Tesco, 22 for Sainsbury’s and 1 for Lidl. Even with those loyalty prices included, Aldi still came out cheapest.

Cheapest supermarket for branded groceries

Which? has now separated its branded grocery research from the main cheapest supermarket comparison. This matters because Aldi and Lidl do not stock the same range of branded products as the bigger supermarkets, so they are not included in this separate branded grocery tracker.

The latest branded grocery tracker, published in May 2026 and based on April prices, compared 240 popular branded groceries. Asda was cheapest for the third month in a row, with the branded shop costing £795.21 on average. Sainsbury’s without Nectar was the most expensive, at £933.57.

Supermarket	Average price for 240 branded groceries
Asda	£795.21
Tesco with Clubcard	£821.67
Morrisons with More	£838.15
Morrisons	£839.18
Sainsbury’s with Nectar	£850.39
Ocado	£871.31
Waitrose	£895.28
Tesco	£912.56
Sainsbury’s	£933.57

This second table is useful if you buy lots of branded groceries, such as coffee, sauces, cereal, cakes, cleaning products or toiletries. It shows that loyalty cards can make a big difference, especially at Tesco and Sainsbury’s.

Without Clubcard or Nectar prices, both supermarkets were much more expensive in this branded comparison.

So, which supermarket is cheapest right now?

Based on the latest Which? data, Aldi is currently the cheapest supermarket for a smaller everyday grocery shop in the UK. Lidl remains the closest competitor, and the gap between the two discounters is still fairly small. For many shoppers, the best choice may simply come down to which store is closest and which has the products you actually buy.

For branded grocery shops, Asda was the cheapest in the latest separate Which? tracker. This comparison does not include Aldi or Lidl, because they do not sell the same range of branded groceries as the larger supermarkets. That makes it a better guide if you buy lots of branded items rather than mainly own-brand essentials.

For most households, the best approach is still to match the supermarket to the type of shop you are doing. Aldi and Lidl are usually strong for everyday essentials, while Asda currently looks strong for a branded shop. Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons can become more competitive when they use loyalty pricing, cashback apps, reduced-price items and targeted offers effectively.

Do Loyalty Cards Actually Make a Difference?

One of the clearest patterns in the Which? research is the growing impact of supermarket loyalty schemes.

For shoppers doing a larger grocery shop, loyalty discounts can reduce the basket cost by a surprisingly large amount.

The problem is that supermarkets increasingly advertise loyalty prices rather than lowering shelf prices for everyone, creating a growing gap between members and non-members.

Which? has repeatedly criticised this two-tier pricing system, particularly because some shoppers still struggle to access loyalty schemes due to age restrictions, lack of smartphones, digital access issues, or difficulties with app registration.

Tesco and Sainsbury’s continue to show some of the largest differences between loyalty and non-loyalty pricing; interestingly, the April figures showed Tesco and Sainsbury’s without loyalty cards were more expensive than some shoppers might expect, even compared with traditionally premium supermarkets.

How can this save you money?

Your actual food bill depends heavily on how you shop. If you mainly buy own-brand basics and keep your shopping simple, Aldi and Lidl will usually remain difficult to beat.

If you buy branded groceries, larger supermarkets may work out better once loyalty pricing and cashback are included.

This is where cashback apps and websites can make a genuine difference. For example:

• Use supermarket loyalty cards to unlock lower shelf prices • Switch brands when discounted alternatives appear • Check supermarket cashback apps before shopping• Pay with cashback gift cards when possible Cashback services such as JamDoughnut, TopCashback, Quidco, and Rakuten can sometimes offer a small percentage back on your grocery spend. When combined with loyalty discounts, this can bring the final cost down below the advertised basket prices shown in supermarket comparisons. Even a few pounds saved each week can make a noticeable difference over a full year! To stretch your grocery budget even further, it’s worth checking out the latest UK deals and discounts to find additional savings on everyday essentials.

Bigger supermarkets offer more ways to save

Aldi and Lidl keep prices low partly because they stock fewer products. That works well for many shoppers, although it can become limiting if you need specialist items, branded products, or wider choice. Larger supermarkets give you more opportunities to switch products based on offers.

You may find:

• loyalty discounts

• multibuy offers

• cashback app promotions

• reduced-to-clear items

• own-brand value ranges

• supermarket coupons

  
  

When combined properly, these savings can sometimes bring larger supermarkets surprisingly close to discounter pricing.

The cheapest supermarket is no longer just about which shelf price is lowest; it is increasingly about how well you combine the available savings tools.

Faq's

Which supermarket is cheapest in the UK right now?

According to the latest Which? supermarket price comparison for May 2026, Aldi is currently the cheapest supermarket for a smaller everyday grocery shop. Its basket of 95 branded and own-brand items cost £168.30 on average.

Is Aldi cheaper than Lidl?

Yes, Aldi was cheaper than Lidl in the May 2026 Which? comparison. Aldi’s basket cost £168.30, while Lidl cost £170.58 with Lidl Plus and £170.66 without Lidl Plus.

Which supermarket is cheapest for branded groceries?

Asda was cheapest for branded groceries in the latest separate Which? tracker, based on April 2026 prices. Its branded grocery list cost £795.21 on average, while Sainsbury’s without Nectar was the most expensive at £933.57.

Why are Aldi and Lidl not in the branded grocery comparison?

Aldi and Lidl are not included in the branded grocery tracker because they do not stock the same range of branded goods as the bigger supermarkets. That means the branded comparison is better for shoppers who buy lots of big-name products, while the main monthly comparison is better for an everyday basket.

Which supermarket was most expensive in May 2026?

Waitrose was the most expensive supermarket in the May 2026 Which? comparison. The same 95-item basket cost £235.49 on average, which was £67.19 more than Aldi.

Do supermarket loyalty cards really save money?

They can save money, but it depends on the supermarket and the items you buy. In the May 2026 Which? comparison, there were 41 loyalty discounts across the smaller basket, but Aldi still came out cheapest without needing a loyalty card.

Is Tesco cheaper with Clubcard?

Yes, Tesco was cheaper with Clubcard in the May 2026 comparison. Tesco with Clubcard cost £196.88 for the 95-item basket, compared with £202.27 without Clubcard.

Is Sainsbury’s cheaper with Nectar?

Yes, Sainsbury’s was cheaper with Nectar in the May 2026 comparison. Sainsbury’s with Nectar cost £198.79 for the 95-item basket, compared with £206.18 without Nectar.

Is Asda cheaper for a big shop?

For branded groceries, Asda was cheapest in the latest separate Which? tracker. For a smaller everyday shop, Aldi was cheapest, so the answer depends on whether you mainly buy own-brand essentials or branded products.

What is the best way to find the cheapest supermarket for your own shopping?

Use the Which? results as a guide, but compare them with your own basket. Aldi and Lidl often perform well for everyday essentials, while Asda looked strong for branded groceries in the latest tracker. Loyalty prices, discounted items, and cashback apps can also affect the final cost.