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 households in the UK. Even small price differences between supermarkets can add up over a full year. With grocery prices still under pressure, many shoppers are asking the same question when planning their weekly shop.

Which UK supermarket was the cheapest in April 2026?

Food prices are still putting pressure on household budgets across the UK, and for many families, the weekly supermarket shop remains one of the biggest regular expenses. Even small differences between retailers can quickly add up over the course of a month, especially if you’re feeding a family or buying branded groceries.

That’s why the latest supermarket price comparison from Which? is always closely watched by shoppers trying to work out where their money will stretch the furthest.

The newest figures, published in May 2026 and based on prices tracked throughout April, compared grocery costs across the UK’s biggest supermarkets. The results covered both a smaller everyday basket and a much larger branded grocery shop.

The findings show that Aldi still dominates in everyday low prices, although the gap between Aldi and Lidl remains tight. Once larger branded shops and loyalty cards enter the equation, things become much more complicated.

Cheapest supermarket for a smaller shop

Which? compared the prices of 96 popular groceries across the major supermarkets during April. The basket included a mix of branded and own-brand essentials that many households regularly buy.

For this smaller shop, Aldi once again took the top spot as the cheapest supermarket in the UK.

Lidl came second, although shoppers using Lidl Plus narrowed the gap considerably.

Average price for 96 grocery items

Supermarket	Average basket price
Aldi	£172.77
Lidl (with Lidl Plus)	£175.20
Lidl	£175.29
Asda	£197.91
Tesco (with Clubcard)	£199.11
Morrisons	£205.31
Sainsbury’s (with Nectar)	£206.41
Tesco	£210.45
Sainsbury’s	£213.67
Ocado	£226.54
Waitrose	£242.04

Aldi’s basket came in £2.43 cheaper than Lidl, with Lidl Plus discounts included.

The difference between Aldi and Waitrose was much more dramatic. Shopping the same basket at Waitrose costs almost £70 more than Aldi.

The figures continue to highlight the strength of the discounters in straightforward everyday pricing. Aldi shoppers do not need to rely heavily on loyalty pricing or app discounts to get lower prices across core grocery items.

Cheapest supermarket for a larger shop

Which? also compared a much bigger grocery basket of 221 items. This larger shop included many branded groceries not always stocked by Aldi or Lidl, including products from brands such as Heinz, Kellogg’s and Hovis.

For the second month running, Asda came out cheapest overall on this larger shop.

Average price for 221 grocery items

Supermarket	Average basket price
Asda	£567.56
Tesco (with Clubcard)	£576.88
Morrisons (with More)	£590.07
Sainsbury’s (with Nectar)	£590.74
Morrisons	£591.92
Ocado	£615.46
Tesco	£623.69
Sainsbury’s	£637.47
Waitrose	£659.58

Asda beat Tesco with a Clubcard by just over £9 on average. Without loyalty pricing applied, Tesco’s basket jumped sharply to £623.69. Sainsbury’s prices also increased significantly for shoppers without Nectar discounts.

This is where loyalty cards begin making a noticeable difference.

Supermarket	Average basket price
Asda	£574.26
Tesco (with Clubcard)	£584.95
Sainsbury's (with Nectar)	£591.32
Morrisons (with More)	£600.36
Morrisons	£600.79
Tesco	£625.10
Ocado	£631.58
Waitrose	£653.17

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 larger grocery shop, loyalty discounts can reduce the cost of a basket 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 registering for apps.

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 push the final cost lower than the headline basket prices shown in supermarket comparisons. Even a few pounds saved each week can make a noticeable difference over a full year.

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.

So, which supermarket is cheapest right now?

For smaller everyday shops, Aldi remains the cheapest supermarket in the UK based on the latest Which? comparison.

For larger branded grocery shops, Asda currently offers the best value overall.

The best supermarket for you depends on:

• How much do you buy

• Whether you buy branded products

• How often do you use loyalty cards

• Whether you stack cashback offers

• How many shops are you willing to visit
  

For many shoppers, the smartest approach may be to mix supermarkets rather than stay loyal to one.

FAQs

Which supermarket is cheapest in the UK right now?

According to the latest Which? data for April 2026, Aldi was the cheapest for a smaller everyday grocery shop, while Asda was the cheapest for a larger branded grocery basket

Is Aldi cheaper than Lidl?

Yes, although the difference was small in April 2026. Aldi was £2.43 cheaper than Lidl with Lidl Plus included.

Is Asda cheaper than Tesco?

For larger branded shops, Asda was cheaper than Tesco, even when Tesco Clubcard prices were included.

Do loyalty cards really save money?

Yes, particularly in larger grocery shops where loyalty discounts apply to more products.

Why is Waitrose more expensive?

Waitrose generally charges higher shelf prices and offers fewer loyalty discounts than many competitors, making it one of the most expensive supermarkets overall.