Cheapest Supermarket in the UK: November Results Explained
- The Penny Pincher Team
- Dec 26, 2025
- 6 min read
Looking for the cheapest supermarket in the UK this month?
The latest Which? supermarket price comparison report shows how Aldi, Lidl, Asda, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, Ocado and Waitrose compare on everyday groceries.
Although the most recent full data covers November, it remains highly relevant for December shopping. Supermarket pricing rarely changes dramatically month to month for own-brand staples, so last month’s results give a reliable guide for where you are likely to spend the least right now.
Before you head out shopping, here’s what the numbers really show, and how to use them to your advantage this month.
Quick verdict for December shoppers
If you want the cheapest no-frills shop, Aldi was the cheapest supermarket last month and remains a strong option for everyday essentials.
If you’re doing a bigger December shop, buying branded items, or using cashback and loyalty schemes, supermarkets like Asda, Morrisons, Tesco and Sainsbury’s can work out just as cheap, and sometimes cheaper!
The cheapest supermarket is often less about the store and more about how you shop.
What was the cheapest supermarket last month?
Consumer group Which? compared the cost of a basket of 70 popular branded and own-brand groceries in November 2025, including everyday staples such as bread, milk and cheese.
Aldi was once again the cheapest supermarket overall.
Cheapest supermarket for a smaller shop (70 items)
Supermarket | Average price |
Aldi | £121.22 |
Lidl (with Lidl Plus) | £122.35 |
Lidl | £122.40 |
Asda | £133.59 |
Tesco (with Clubcard) | £133.65 |
Tesco | £136.20 |
Morrisons | £137.40 |
Sainsbury’s (with Nectar) | £137.77 |
Sainsbury’s | £141.62 |
Ocado | £154.37 |
Waitrose | £166.79 |
Aldi narrowly beat Lidl, with Lidl Plus members shaving a few pennies off the gap. Asda followed next, while Waitrose was once again the most expensive option, costing 38% more than Aldi for the same basket.
Lidl, Tesco and Sainsbury’s all offered loyalty discounts on some products, which is why prices are shown for both members and non-members.
Who was the cheapest supermarket for a larger shop?
Which? also compared the cost of a much larger shop of 183 items. This basket included a wider range of branded products that Aldi and Lidl do not stock, so the discounters were not included in this part of the comparison.
Cheapest supermarket for a larger shop (183 items)
Supermarket | Average price |
Asda | £455.52 |
Tesco (with Clubcard) | £465.23 |
Sainsbury’s (with Nectar) | £471.84 |
Morrisons (with More) | £476.96 |
Morrisons | £478.96 |
Tesco | £497.01 |
Ocado | £501.03 |
Sainsbury’s | £507.24 |
Waitrose | £522.91 |
Asda was the cheapest supermarket for the larger shop in November.
Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons followed closely behind, with loyalty pricing playing a much bigger role here than it did for the smaller basket. Waitrose was again the most expensive overall.
What does this mean for your December food shop?
Even though this data is from November, supermarket pricing structures tend to stay consistent through December for core items. That makes this a useful benchmark for everyday groceries.
If you want predictable pricing and minimal effort, Aldi remains a sensible choice.
But December shopping is rarely just basics, it's often about branded food, party items, drinks and household extras, changing the maths.
How much do loyalty cards really save?
Which? found that loyalty schemes make only a small difference on smaller baskets, where fewer discounted items apply.
On larger shops, loyalty pricing can reduce the total much more noticeably, particularly at Tesco and Sainsbury’s where dozens of items are discounted for cardholders.
The downside is that not everyone can easily access these schemes. Some shoppers are excluded due to age restrictions, digital access issues or not having a fixed address. Which? has repeatedly argued that loyalty pricing should be made more accessible.
Why the cheapest supermarket on paper might not be the cheapest for you
The Which? basket uses fixed products. Real shopping doesn’t.
If you are flexible and willing to switch brands based on offers, you can often spend less than the headline figures suggest.
That might mean choosing a different laundry detergent on a loyalty price, swapping brands on a multibuy deal, or stocking up on non-perishables when promotions run.
These real-world, spur-of-the-moment decisions we all make when in the supermarkets and faced with impulsive deals and offers are not captured in a standard basket comparison.
Food shopping can be overwhelming for some people
Many people find food shopping stressful, especially those who are neurodivergent. As someone diagnosed with ADHD, I find busy supermarkets noisy and overstimulating, which makes price-comparing and deal-hunting harder.
If this resonates, you may find it helpful to read more about ADHD
at ADHD UK.
For me, planning from home makes a huge difference. I check prices online in advance, compare loyalty offers calmly, then go in with a clear list. That structure reduces stress and helps avoid impulse buys.
You don’t need to be neurodivergent for this to work. Pre-planning benefits everyone.
Cashback changes the picture completely!
One major factor missing from the Which? comparison is cashback.
Cashback is exactly what it sounds like. You earn a small percentage of your spend back after you shop, either as cash paid into your account or credit you can withdraw later. It doesn’t affect what you pay at the till. You pay the normal price, then claim money back afterwards.
Cashback usually works in a few common ways. Buying supermarket gift cards through cashback apps before you shop. Ordering groceries online via a cashback website. Or buying specific products and claiming cashback by scanning your receipt.
Aldi and Lidl do not work with mainstream cashback apps, so you generally cannot earn cashback when shopping there unless you use a cashback credit card.
At supermarkets like Asda, Morrisons, Tesco and Sainsbury’s, cashback can significantly reduce the cost of your shop when combined with loyalty pricing and offers.
You can learn more about how cashback works in general, on my UK cashback services blog post.
Buying supermarket gift cards through cashback services such as JamDoughnut can lower costs further. I’ve covered this in detail here. You can also use traditional cashback sites like TopCashback, which I’ve written about here.
Even a small cashback percentage can cancel out Aldi’s price advantage on a full shop.
Supermarket cashback apps
Supermarket-specific cashback apps can further reduce costs, particularly at larger stores.
Not to be confused with cashback apps, the type of Cashback apps I just mentioned, supermarket cashback apps, such as Shopmium, Checkoutsmart, and GreenJinn, are another way you might be able to reduce your food costs and narrow the basket price between supermarkets.
I’ve rounded up the best UK supermarket grocery cashback apps on this blog post
Popular options include:
These apps offer cashback on selected products, typically 10%-100%, but they do not work with Aldi or Lidl receipts.
You can also earn money from receipt-scanning apps. I’ve listed the best UK options here, and reviewed the latest one called Clear! here.
Product coupons and social media deals
Be on the lookout for product coupons when browsing your social media. Services such as Hashting work with manufacturers to offer consumers the opportunity to claim cashback on products that are often advertised on social media.
I post these deals on my blog as they come up, and you can view them here.
They can genuinely help to lower the cost of your food shop.
Make sure to follow The Penny Pincher on Instagram too, as I often share these offers on my Instagram Stories:https://www.instagram.com/thepennypincheruk/
Bigger supermarkets offer more choice and more control.
Aldi and Lidl carry fewer product lines, which often means topping up elsewhere. That can increase costs and tempt impulse spending.
Bigger supermarkets offer value own-brand ranges, they often price-match the discounter stores such as Lidl and Aldi, offer multibuys and brand-funded promotions, plus also multiple versions of the same product at different price points, often including a lower budget version, which can help balance the food budget.
That extra choice gives you more ways to cut costs if you are willing to switch, or shop around a bit more.
The real cheapest shop is the one that stacks offers
If you want to spend the least this month, focus less on a single headline winner and more on strategy.
Use loyalty cards
Check supermarket cashback apps.
Pay with cashback gift cards.
Use receipt-scanning apps.
Plan your shop before you go
When you combine these, the savings are far bigger than the £1 or £2 difference shown in the Which?cheapest supermarket round up every month, in most cases.
So, is Aldi the cheapest supermarket?
On paper, yes.
On your receipt, not always.
Aldi and Lidl are excellent for quick top-ups and straightforward shops. But if you plan ahead and stack cashback and loyalty offers, larger supermarkets can be just as cheap, and sometimes cheaper, especially in December.
This is how I shop each week. It takes about 10 minutes to plan and saves far more than chasing a single headline price.
Are you loyal to the discounters, or do you stack the savings wherever they appear?
