The Cheapest Supermarkets in the UK: Where to Shop and Save

With the cost of living on the rise, finding the best value for your weekly shop is more important than ever.

Fortunately, the UK is home to a variety of supermarkets offering great deals on groceries, household essentials, and more. 

Whether you're feeding a family, living on a budget, or simply looking to save, here’s a guide to the cheapest UK supermarkets and tips for getting the most out of your money.

1. Aldi: Consistently Affordable

Aldi has long been a favourite for budget-conscious shoppers, and for good reason. Known for its no-frills approach, Aldi focuses on quality own-brand products at unbeatable prices. From fresh produce to pantry staples, it’s hard to beat their value.

Best Buys:

Fresh fruit and veg in their weekly "Super 6" deals.

Award-winning wines and spirits.

Budget-friendly household items and weekly special buys.

Top Tip: Shop early for special buys—they sell out quickly!

2. Lidl: Quality and Value Combined

Similar to Aldi, Lidl offers a wide range of affordable own-brand products that often rival big-name brands. Lidl is particularly strong in its bakery section, with fresh bread and pastries baked daily at wallet-friendly prices.

Best Buys:

Fresh bakery items, including their famous 85p sourdough loaf.

Seasonal fruit and veg at bargain prices.

Deluxe range for affordable luxury treats.

Top Tip: Look out for their weekly themed food weeks, featuring cuisines from around the world.

3. Asda: Best for Big Shops

Asda is known for its competitive pricing and extensive product range, making it ideal for larger households. Their "Just Essentials" range is particularly popular, offering everything from pasta to cleaning supplies at rock-bottom prices.

Best Buys:

Just Essentials range for basic groceries.

Rollback offers on branded products.

Fuel discounts at participating petrol stations.

Top Tip: Use Asda Rewards to earn cashback on your purchases.

4. Tesco: Great Value with Clubcard Deals

While Tesco may not always be the cheapest upfront, their Clubcard prices can make a significant difference. Signing up for a Clubcard gives you access to exclusive discounts and deals, as well as points to redeem on future shops.

Best Buys:

Clubcard-exclusive offers on meat, dairy, and snacks.

Tesco’s own-brand ranges, including "Stockwell & Co." for budget basics.

Discounts on petrol at Tesco filling stations.

Top Tip: Use your Clubcard points for discounts on days out, dining, and more.

5. Iceland: Frozen Food on a Budget

Iceland specialises in frozen food, but they also stock fresh and pantry items. Their bulk-buy deals and regular discounts make them a great choice for stocking up.

Best Buys:

Frozen meat, fish, and ready meals.

£1 value range for essentials.

Regular £8 off £40 vouchers for online shopping.

Top Tip: Check out Iceland’s Bonus Card for extra savings and rewards.

6. Morrisons: Affordable Quality

Morrisons offers a good balance of quality and price, particularly with their "Savers" range. They also have regular multi-buy deals and discounts on fresh produce.

Best Buys:

Savers range for basic items.

Fresh meat and fish counters.

Discounts on bakery items towards the end of the day.

Top Tip: Use their "More" loyalty card to collect points and earn vouchers.

7. Sainsbury’s: Best for Own-Brand Products

While Sainsbury’s is often considered mid-range, their "Imperia" and "Basics" ranges are excellent for budget shopping. With Nectar points and frequent discounts, you can make your money go further.

Best Buys:

Own-brand products for quality at a lower price.

Nectar card offers tailored to your shopping habits.

Regular promotions on household essentials.

Top Tip: Use the Nectar app to find personalised discounts and bonus points.

8. Online Options: Too Good to Go and Olio

For those looking to save even more, consider apps like Too Good to Go and Olio, which offer surplus food at heavily reduced prices or even for free. These platforms are a great way to reduce food waste and cut costs.

How to Maximise Your Savings

Plan ahead: Write a shopping list and stick to it to avoid impulse buys.

Compare prices: Use price comparison tools like Trolley.co.uk to find the best deals.

Shop late: Many supermarkets reduce perishable items in the evening.

Buy own-brand: Most supermarket own brands offer excellent quality at a fraction of the cost.

Shopping smart doesn’t mean sacrificing quality. With so many affordable options available, you can fill your trolley without emptying your wallet. 

Whether you’re a loyal Aldi fan, a Clubcard bargain hunter, or exploring Iceland’s frozen deals, there’s a budget-friendly supermarket for everyone. Happy saving!

Lidl has officially been named both the cheapest AND most popular supermarket in the UK

Lidl is now officially the cheapest and most popular supermarket in the UK. Lidl topped YouGov’s list of most popular supermarkets and was also named cheapest supermarket in The Grocer’s ‘Super Grocer 33’ –beating the UK’s major supermarkets and fellow discounter, Aldi.

Lidl's unbeatable value has won shoppers’ hearts up and down the entire country. In YouGov’s survey exploring the percentage of shoppers with a positive opinion of a supermarket chain, Lidl nabbed the number one spot. Scoring 79%, placing it ahead of rivals Aldi and M&S.

Meanwhile, The Grocer’s ‘Super Grocer 33’ index, which compares the price of 33 everyday grocery items across the UK’s seven major supermarkets, learned that Lidl was significantly better value than others on a range of products, including fresh fruit and veg. From apples (£1.49 for a six-pack) to aubergines (85p), and cabbages (69p) to carrots (50p for 1kg), Lidl was the cheapest across 26 items in total.

Lidl was exclusively cheapest for its free range eggs (£1.09), with the price accolade coming mere hours after it announced a bold, new approach to boosting British egg production, by offering farmers special financial incentives to move into egg farming.

Even when compared to the traditional supermarkets with discount schemes, Lidl customers found themselves better off. Sainsbury’s shoppers using their Nectar card still paid £6.75 more than they would have if shopping at Lidl, while Tesco Clubcard holders paid £8.09 more.

Premium supermarket Waitrose, which claims it is implementing price cuts, was a massive £15.79 more expensive than Lidl. Rapeseed oil was almost double in price, while a whole chicken was nearly £2.00 more.

Peter De Roos, who is the Chief Commercial Officer at Lidl GB, said: “It’s no surprise when we’re continually shown to be the cheapest supermarket that we’re also topping popularity polls at the same time."

He went on to say: "Our customers, new and old, know shopping with us doesn’t mean they have to compromise on quality. Also, they can be assured we remain committed to keeping our prices low, which we know is more important than ever.” 

For nearly 30 years, Lidl’s unparalleled quality-value combination has been winning customers over from across the country. While the discounter has won The Grocer’s Super 33 five times out of seven, it’s also been named the cheapest supermarket by Manchester Evening News for over seven months in a row.

www.lidl.co.uk

Aldi cuts prices of fruit and veg

Already the UKs cheapest supermarket, Aldi has cut the prices on a range of fruit and veg products.

This week, shoppers can enjoy even cheaper prices on items such as strawberries, tomatoes, potatoes and spinach. 

Fruit and veg items in Aldi’s Everyday Essentials range are included in this latest price drop, which has seen items fall by an average of about 9%.

The move is the latest of in excess of 100 price cuts Aldi has introduced over the past two months.

Julie Ashfield, who is Aldi's MD of Buying at Aldi UK, said: “Every week we're working very hard to make new savings to pass on to our customers and help ensure we always offer them the lowest grocery prices we possibly can.

“We know shoppers are having to make difficult choices at the moment, so we at Aldi are doing what we can to offer the lowest prices possible. That’s why shoppers continue to switch to Aldi from every other supermarket.” 

Consumer group Which? named Aldi as the UK’s cheapest supermarket in July for the 14th consecutive month. On a basket of goods, Aldi was the cheapest supermarket at £71.22, which was £16.02 lower than the most expensive supermarket, Waitrose.