Finding Good Suppliers of Fresh Meats: A Guide for Discerning Shoppers

When it comes to cooking, the quality of your ingredients can make all the difference, and nowhere is this more evident than with fresh meats. 

Whether you're preparing a succulent Sunday roast, a sizzling steak dinner, or a hearty stew, sourcing the best fresh meats is crucial for achieving exceptional flavour and texture. 

Here's a comprehensive guide to finding good suppliers of fresh meats in the UK.

1. Local Butchers: The Traditional Choice

One of the best ways to ensure you're getting high-quality fresh meat is by visiting your local butcher. Here’s why:

Expertise and Personal Service

Local butchers are skilled professionals who can offer valuable advice on the best cuts of meat for your needs, cooking tips, and even recipe ideas. Their personalised service means you can request specific cuts or have your meat prepared to your exact requirements.

Traceability and Quality

Butchers often source their meat from local farms, ensuring a shorter supply chain and better traceability. This not only supports local farmers but also guarantees that you’re getting fresh, high-quality meat. You can ask about the animal's diet and welfare, giving you peace of mind about the ethical standards behind your purchase.

2. Farmers' Markets: Fresh from the Source

Farmers' markets are an excellent place to find fresh, high-quality meats directly from the producers. Here's what to look for:

Seasonal and Local Produce

At farmers' markets, you’ll find meat that’s typically fresher and often more flavourful than supermarket offerings. The farmers selling their products are usually happy to discuss their farming practices, allowing you to make informed choices.

Organic and Free-Range Options

Many vendors at farmers' markets specialise in organic and free-range meats. These options are not only better for the environment but also tend to be higher in quality and flavour. Look for certifications and ask questions about the farming methods used.

3. Online Butchers: Convenience Meets Quality

The digital age has made it easier than ever to find good meat suppliers online. Here’s how to navigate the options:

Research and Reviews

Before choosing an online butcher, do some research. Look for reviews and ratings from other customers to gauge the reliability and quality of the supplier. Websites like Trustpilot can be helpful for this.

Delivery and Packaging

Check the delivery options and packaging standards. Good online butchers will use insulated packaging and refrigerated delivery services to ensure your meat arrives fresh and in optimal condition. Some even offer next-day delivery for added convenience.

Subscription Services

Consider subscription services that deliver fresh meat to your door on a regular basis. These services often provide a curated selection of meats, ensuring variety and quality. They can be a great way to explore new cuts and recipes.

4. Supermarkets: A Convenient Option

While local butchers and farmers' markets often provide the best quality, supermarkets can also be a good source of fresh meat if you know what to look for. In fact some supermarkets employ fully qualified butchers to run their meat counter. At your supermarket look for:

Quality Labels

Look for meat with quality assurance labels such as Red Tractor, which indicates the meat has met certain standards of animal welfare, food safety, and traceability. Organic and free-range labels are also indicators of higher-quality meat.

Freshness Indicators

Check the packaging date and use-by date to ensure the meat is fresh. Opt for cuts that have a bright, vibrant colour and avoid any that appear discoloured or have excessive liquid in the packaging.

5. Build Relationships and Ask Questions

Regardless of where you buy your meat, building relationships with your suppliers can lead to better service and product recommendations. Don’t hesitate to ask questions about the origin of the meat, the farming practices used, and the best ways to cook different cuts. Good suppliers will be happy to share their knowledge and help you make the best choices.

Conclusion

Finding good suppliers of fresh meat involves a bit of research and a willingness to explore different sources. Whether you prefer the personalised service of a local butcher, the direct-from-the-farm freshness of a farmers' market, the convenience of online shopping, or the accessibility of a supermarket, there are plenty of options available to ensure you get the best quality meat for your meals.

By prioritising quality, traceability, and ethical standards, you can enjoy delicious, fresh meat while supporting responsible farming practices. So next time you plan your menu, take a little extra time to source your meat from a trusted supplier. 

Flake Bake Restocks 100,000 Patties After Aldi's Next Big Thing Sell Out

You'd be forgiven for thinking that the team behind Flake Bake might be "all flaked out" after their stunning success of selling out 100,000 patties within just 48 hours after their major win on Aldi's Next Big Thing TV show and tempted to rest on their laurels.

But not a bit of it! Because Flake Bake, the pioneering handmade Jamaican patty brand based firmly and lovingly in traditional Caribbean flavours, has restocked over 100,000 patties.

The small, family owned business, made an absolutely sterling effort to boost the production following the show's success and the pasties will be back on the shelves today, Thursday 9th May. 

They left Aldi's shelves totally stripped of pasties as the show's fans rushed down to their nearest branch of Aldi to get their teeth into their delicious, authentic, flaky pastries. As a result Aldi had to swiftly modify their initial order, quadrupling their original order!

The story about how the situation came about with their meteoric leap into the spotlight after a visit from popular social media influencer Eating With Tod. 

Racking up in excess of two million views in well under a week, Eating With Tod's visit catapulted Flake Bake into the realm of virality, with its social media following increasing by 1,000 followers every day since then.

Under the visionary leadership of Mike Williams and his father Paul, the family business is dedicated to establishing a reputable, values-driven business whilst still fostering a positive environment for all Caribbean-led enterprises within the UK. 

Mike Williams, Director of Flake Bake, said: "Winning Aldi's Next Big Thing and gaining a national supermarket listing has been a game changer.  It not only allowed us to showcase our unique flavours and values but provided a platform to redefine the perception of Caribbean cuisine here in the UK. We are thrilled to blend our cultural heritage with the diverse culinary landscape, offering innovative products and fresh perspectives to Aldi customers."

Flake Bake's journey began in South London serving foodservice, where it quickly became renowned for its Jamaican patties boasting the flakiest golden crusts, distinguished by its use of simple, fresh ingredients and a commitment to quality. 

https://flakebake.co.uk

Unveiling Hidden Gems: Low-Priced British Supermarket Own Brand Spirits That Are Worth Buying

In the world of spirits, there's often a misconception that quality comes with a hefty price tag. However, British supermarkets have been quietly challenging this notion with their own-brand spirits, offering remarkable quality at affordable prices.

These hidden gems not only cater to budget-conscious consumers but also surprise enthusiasts with their exceptional taste profiles. Let's embark on a journey through the aisles of British supermarkets to discover the low-priced own-brand spirits that are truly worth buying.

1. Tesco: Tesco Finest Blended Scotch Whisky

Starting our exploration with Tesco, their Finest Blended Scotch Whisky stands out as a remarkable choice. Crafted with a blend of malt and grain whiskies, this spirit boasts a smooth and rich flavor profile with hints of oak and caramel. Perfect for sipping neat or mixing into cocktails, it offers an unparalleled value for its price.

2. Sainsbury's: Sainsbury's London Dry Gin

Sainsbury's London Dry Gin is a true testament to the quality found in own-brand spirits. This classic gin delivers a refreshing burst of juniper alongside citrus and herbal notes. Whether enjoyed in a classic G&T or as the base for a variety of cocktails, this gin offers exceptional versatility without breaking the bank.

3. Asda: Asda Extra Special Triple Distilled Vodka

For vodka enthusiasts, Asda's Extra Special Triple Distilled Vodka is a must-try. Distilled three times for purity and smoothness, this vodka boasts a clean and crisp taste with subtle hints of sweetness. Whether enjoyed on the rocks or as the foundation for your favourite vodka cocktails, it offers a premium drinking experience at an unbeatable price.

4. Morrisons: Morrisons Signature Blended Scotch Whisky

Morrisons Signature Blended Scotch Whisky is a hidden gem waiting to be discovered. Crafted using a blend of malt and grain whiskies, this spirit offers a complex flavour profile with notes of oak, caramel, and a subtle hint of spice. Whether savored neat or mixed into your favorite whisky cocktails, it delivers an impressive drinking experience that belies its affordable price tag. (I must say this personally that I love this Scotch.)

5. Aldi: Aldi Oliver Cromwell London Dry Gin

Aldi's Oliver Cromwell London Dry Gin has gained quite a reputation for its exceptional quality and unbeatable price. This award-winning gin offers a classic juniper-forward profile with citrus undertones, making it a versatile option for cocktails or a refreshing G&T. With its premium taste at a fraction of the cost of other brands, it's no wonder this gin has become a favourite among budget-savvy consumers.

In conclusion, the world of spirits is filled with hidden treasures waiting to be discovered, and British supermarkets are no exception. From Tesco's Finest Blended Scotch Whisky to Aldi's Oliver Cromwell London Dry Gin, these low-priced own-brand spirits offer exceptional quality and value. Whether you're a whisky connoisseur, gin enthusiast, or vodka aficionado, there's a hidden gem waiting for you on the shelves of your local supermarket. Also, look out for own brand rums, brandies and liquors. 

So why not embark on a tasting journey and uncover your new favorite spirit without breaking the bank? Cheers to quality and affordability!

Soreen bring health and affordability to the cake aisle

Soreen, the nation’s favourite malt loaf brand, has reformulated their banana loaf recipe to delight consumers taste buds with their exceptionally tasty and nutritional goodness.

The new Banana Loaf reformulation packs a powerful punch in flavour with an authentic banana bread taste, alongside heightened nutritional values, at a far more affordable price than other snacking and breakfast options.

At a time when households all over the UK are struggling to uphold a healthy lifestyle but are equally feeling the pressures of daily expenses and inflated costs of living, balancing health and affordability is admittedly something of a tough proposition. 

However, Soreen’s range provides healthier snacking alternatives whilst achieving good value for money. For example, Soreen Banana Loaf is 147 calories per portion at a cost of 30p per serving, far less than other category products or coffee shop cakes.

As the biggest HFSS compliant brand in cakes, Soreen has grown by 11% showcasing that customers want to make healthier choices. Soreen continues to be a popular household staple given its nutritional yet tasty appeal and versatility.

Liz Jacobs, who is the Marketing Director at Soreen said: “The beauty of Soreen is, it's an affordable, tasty and nutritional daily snack.

“At Soreen, we didn’t perceive HFSS to be a restriction, we saw it as an opportunity to refresh some products by adding more nutritional goodness in to optimise our health credentials and propel the brand as category leaders for health.

“Our HFSS compliant products have the chance to increase in-store visibility by moving to more premium store positions, thus encouraging shoppers to choose healthier snacking options and aligning to government guidelines to reduce obesity in the UK.”

The grocery sector has recently been under pressure given the challenges of increasing ingredient costs, which have inflated the price of numerous products. For this reason, some retailers increased their private label ranges given consumers disposable income has fallen. 

The private label options are there to provide cheaper alternatives to brands as shoppers switch products to achieve good value for money. Soreen provides affordable health for homes throughout the UK.

Liz went to say: “We are ‘Champions of feel-good nutrition,’ hence nutrition is a huge priority to us as a brand. We’re also committed to communicating with integrity and always showing our colour coded nutritional GDAs on the front of our packs.

"Soreen’s latest campaign ‘Try Me Topped’ presents some fabulous, and rather unusual combinations to get the senses going, encouraging people to experiment, and inviting them to share their faves, so that the nation’s most loved Malt Loaf topping can be determined!"

https://www.soreen.com

Lidl GB is now third largest supermarket in London

Lidl GB is now the third largest supermarket in London after overtaking Asda and hitting a market share high of 9.1%. 

As well as experiencing the fastest growth out of all supermarkets in the city, it was also named fastest-growing supermarket in the UK as a whole. 

With more than double the market share of any other discount supermarket in the capital city, Lidl’s growth forms part of its £500 million investment into London, while reaffirming its unwavering commitment to ensuring that all Londoners have a Lidl store within easy reach. 

Unlike other supermarkets that run convenience models in city centres, which could be costing London households hundreds more a year, Lidl is firmly committed to providing all its customers with access to good food at low prices, no matter where they live. 

In 2022, Lidl marked its expansion in London by opening nine new stores, including locations in East Acton, Kingston, and Upton Park, whilst also securing a further five sites in the city for future expansion, generating hundreds of new job opportunities in the process.

Early next year, it’s set to open another store in East Ham and it has started construction at its Newbury Park and Bellingham sites, further contributing to local employment. Those working at Lidl receive the highest pay in the supermarket sector, with hourly wages within the M25 starting at £12.85, rising to £13.15, along with a competitive benefits package including colleague discount.  

Ryan McDonnell, Lidl GB CEO, said: "We have a clear commitment to providing shoppers with the very best value, and becoming the third-largest supermarket in London reinforces our dedication to ensuring that everyone can eat affordable, high quality food, no matter where they live. We know convenience plays a huge factor when choosing where to shop in the city, which is why we’re pushing on with plans to bring many more locations to the capital in the future.”

Outlining its intentions to extend its great value offerings to even more households in the capital, the discounter has published a list of priority locations for new stores. Currently, Lidl boasts over 100 within London and the M25, with ambitious plans for more than 100, including areas such as Earls Court, Westminster, Kings Cross, and even Knightsbridge.

The discounter has also doubled down on its plans to strengthen its warehouse infrastructure to increase capacity across the country. Just last month, it opened its £300m Regional Distribution Centre in Luton to service over 150 stores in and around the capital, further cementing its commitment to London.

www.lidl.co.uk

Most trusted supermarket? That'd be Lidl!

Lidl GB has recently been named the UKs most trusted supermarket after placing ahead of its rival stores in the latest Retail Trust Index, which is the result of a consumer research undertaken by Ethical Commerce Alliance (ECA).

Ranking in second place overall, Lidl bucked the trend of low trust in supermarkets, highlighted in recent industry data which suggested overall trust in the sector has fallen. 

In the Index, Lidl is placed far ahead of its competitors, with Tesco the next nearest supermarket in 15th place, and fellow discounter Aldi further back in 21st place. Meanwhile premium supermarkets Waitrose and M&S are in 28th and 29th place respectively.  

Georgina Hall, Head of Communications & CSR at Lidl GB, said: “Households have had to contend with an incredibly volatile last several years, but throughout it all, we at Lidl GB have continued to show we’re genuinely on the side of shoppers and have done everything in our power to ensure they continue to have access to the best quality products at the lowest possible prices. We’re a business built on trust and transparency, and it’s humbling to see that this has been reflected in the results of the Retail Trust Index.”

During the period covered by the research, Lidl GB has played a critical role in providing households with access to high quality affordable produce. In its trading update last month, the discounter revealed that it had implemented the following investment and developments to support shoppers, suppliers and colleagues:

Invested over £100million in keeping prices low for customers

Opened around 50 new stores - more than any other supermarket in Great Britain

Spent £4bn and announced an accelerated investment in British food businesses for FY23

Increased pay rates twice in eight months, equating to a combined investment of £50m

Launched its Good to Give Trustmark – an industry-first initiative to diversify food donations

Built the largest Lidl distribution centre in the world, which opened just last month

Lidl’s ongoing commitment to keeping its prices low also resulted in the discounter being named cheapest supermarket in the UK by The Grocer last month.

This accolade also comes after the discounter was recently awarded most popular supermarket in the UK. In YouGov’s survey exploring the percentage of shoppers who have a positive opinion of a supermarket chain, Lidl nabbed the number one spot.

www.lidl.co.uk

Good news, Brentford! Morrisons opens new store on Brentford High Street

Today, Thursday 28th September, Morrisons is relocating and opening a new supermarket on Brentford High Street as part of the town’s important ongoing regeneration project.

The Brentford Project, Ballymore’s new 1.2 million sq ft residential-led development in West London, aims to transform the southern half of the town’s High Street, reconnecting it to the waterfront and bringing a mix of dining, entertainment, shopping and leisure amenities, along with 876 new homes.

Besides offering customers a carefully tailored mix of Morrisons own brand products alongside branded favourites, the relocated Morrisons store will introduce a new Market Kitchen proposition where freshly made meals are created by a team of in-store chefs. (EDITOR: Wow! We want one of those!) 

This means customers in Brentford can have their breakfast, lunch or evening meal freshly made-to-order using seasonal ingredients. Customers can then choose to eat the meals in or pick up their food to go. The menu includes a choice of select wraps, including breakfast options, a selection of tasty pies, jacket potatoes, toasties, rice bowls, pizza and burgers. 

The store will also feature Morrisons much loved Market Street option with colleagues available to offer advice on Morrisons meat and fish range. Other key features in the store include:

Morrisons Nutmeg baby range

A pharmacy

Morrisons: The Best range which offers a little bit of luxury at great prices

A home range of cookware and soft furnishings

A wide selection of Free From products.

Said Daniel Daly, who is Morrisons Brentford Store Manager: “Brentford is currently undergoing a huge regeneration project by Ballymore and we know residents in the area have been eagerly anticipating the opening of our store at the very heart of the town.

“Today, they've got a brand-new Morrisons store, with skilled food making at the very heart of it and plenty of useful services, too. We hope customers will love this new store as much as they did the previous store and we look forward to welcoming them here/”

Richard Pearce, Senior Development Manager at Ballymore, added: “We're obviously pleased and delighted to welcome Morrisons revamped store to The Brentford Project, a new neighbourhood shopping and leisure destination. 

"The diverse range of stores from well-established household names to new creative enterprises, sits well alongside the newly relocated Morrisons and the addition of the new Market Kitchen as part of this concept. 

"Our overarching aim for the Brentford Project development is to re-connect the convenience retail-led High Street with the vibrant leisure-led waterfront including cafes, restaurants, coffee shops and cinema. Whilst The Lanes, the third area within the project, links these areas and showcases a broad range of small boutique, independent and emerging entrepreneurs, and local retailers, too.

“This Morrisons launch represents a very important next step for Ballymore and its journey, realising the community-focused long-term vision and most importantly, responding to strong desire for this much-loved brand to remain in Brentford; serving the every-day needs of residents and locals.”

The store was due to be formally opened by the Brentford FC Mascot Buzz. Prior to the opening, local dignitaries visited the store to meet the store manager and his team.

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

Lidl releases new figures showing its commitment to investing in the future

Lidl GB has released new figures showing the full scale of investments made during its last financial year, as it held firmly to its promise of providing all its customers with the highest quality products at the lowest possible prices.

As more households sought to make savings during the period in question, Lidl attracted an extra 1.4 million shoppers and witnessed its market share increase from 6.1% to 7.1%, which was the most rapid growth experienced by Lidl over the past five years. 

Besides a relentless focus on prices, Lidl maintained its position as the UK’s highest-paying supermarket by investing £50m in increasing the minimum hourly rates for store colleagues twice during the period in question. Also it launched nearly 50 new stores in the UK, whilst securing multiple new sites for future expansion as it continued to publish its site requirements. 

The update comes as Lidl GB publishes its latest accounts for the year ending 28th February 2023.

Ryan McDonnell, Lidl GB CEO: “We've always had a very clear commitment to offer the best value to our customers and that's a strong promise we will always keep, even in uncertain economic times.

"Alongside preserving this price promise, rewarding our people and maintaining long-term relationships with our suppliers will always be a priority. As a privately-owned business we have the ability to make decisions we know will have very real and immediate benefits for our people, customers and suppliers and long-term benefits for our business, too.”

Lidl, which sources its entire core range of fresh meat, eggs, milk, butter and cream from only British suppliers, said it had spent over £4 billion with British companies last year, as it reaffirms its commitment to buy British wherever it possibly can.

McDonnell went on to say: “The entire retail market saw inflation, and, obviously, we were no exception. However, for us, what's of vital importance is our price gap to the traditional supermarkets is as strong as it's always been. 

"We’ve invested in keeping our prices low for customers in what has been a very challenging year for most people and, with many more customers flooding through our doors every day, our ambition is to ensure every single household in Britain has access to high quality, affordable food at their local Lidl store.”

During the new financial year, as it continues to invest in its future growth, Lidl GB hasthe :

Opened the largest Lidl warehouse globally, in Luton following an investment of £300m, leading to the creation of up to 1,500 jobs

Completed work on an extension to its Belvedere warehouse, whilst continuing construction on the expansion of its Bridgend RDC alongside submitting plans for a warehouse in Leeds

Further increased market share which is now approaching 8%

Announced an accelerated investment of over £4bn in British food businesses for FY23

Increased hourly pay rates for a third time in just 12 months, with store and warehouse colleagues earning a minimum of £11.40 outside London and £12.85 within the M25, bringing its combined investment over the year to £60 million

Recruited over 6,000 new colleagues since the beginning of the year

Been named as cheapest basket in the Super Grocer 33, four out of six times since its launch last year

Commenting on the outlook for Aldi, McDonnell finished by saying: “As a company, we’re entering an exciting new phase of growth where we are bolstering our infrastructure to sustain us for the long term and hiring thousands of new colleagues too. 

"Next year will mark 30 years of Lidl in Great Britain, and there's no ceiling on our ambitions for the next 30 years as we see the potential for hundreds of new stores across Great Britain. In many ways our brand has never been more relevant. We are, and will continue to be, a discount retailer maintaining a relentless focus on providing our customers with great quality at unbeatable prices.”

www.lidl.co.uk

(EDITOR: Those of us who are concerned about the environment will be interested to know that Lidl's delivery fleet of lorries is powered by food waste from Lidl.)

Aldi opens its 1,000th store and aims for 500 more!

Aldi has opened its 1,000th UK store in Woking, Surrey, yesterday today and has committed to a new long-term target of 1,500 stores in the UK, which will see the company invest billions of pounds into the UK economy.

Aldi is now Britain’s fourth biggest grocer and one in every ten pounds spent at British supermarkets goes through its tills. It is also the fastest-growing supermarket in the UK, attracting customers from every major competitor as people switch to Aldi for its low prices. 

With two thirds of British shoppers now shopping with Aldi, so Aldi is aiming to open more stores in more parts of the UK to meet growing demand. It will open another 20 new stores before year's end, as part of its £1.3bn two-year investment plan.

Its aim to open 500 new stores to reach its target of 1,500 means Aldi is on the hunt for more locations across the UK.

Aldi UK and Ireland CEO, Giles Hurley, said: “Opening our 1,000th store is a massive milestone and it really wouldn’t have been possible without the dedication and utter hard work of our 40,000 incredible colleagues.

“Our popularity is growing, and there's huge demand for people to have an Aldi store near to them to increase shoppers’ access to our unbeatable prices.

“The next phase of our expansion will involve another 500 new stores over the coming years. It's a long-term target and shouldn't be seen as a ceiling to our ambition to have an Aldi store close to everyone in the UK.”

The Woking store is one of over 150 sites Aldi now has in the South East of England, as it continues to attract new customers across the region.

Incidentally, Aldi opened its first UK store in Stechford, Birmingham, back in 1990.

www.aldi.co.uk

Aldi named cheapest supermarket for thirteenth month in a row

New research from consumer group Which? has found Aldi to be the UK’s cheapest supermarket for the thirteenth consecutive month.

It's revealed that shoppers can save a significant sum of £16.55 compared to the most expensive supermarket, for the same basket of items.

As UK families continue to try and keep household costs down, Aldi shoppers can be confident they’re getting great quality products at the best possible price as the supermarket is named the cheapest in the UK – for the thirteenth month in a row!

Consumer group Which? conducted its monthly Cheapest Supermarket price comparison, looking at the cost of a basket of items, including groceries and household essentials.

The latest research shows in June Aldi was a huge £16.55 cheaper than the most expensive supermarket, Waitrose, for an equivalent basket of items. 

Which? also revealed Aldi to be £7.42 cheaper than Tesco and £10.73 cheaper than Morrisons.

The full results are below: 

Retailer Average basket price 

Aldi         £75.25

Lidl         £77.18

Asda £82.55

Tesco £82.67

Sainsbury’s £83.46

Morrisons £85.98

Ocado     £89.20

Waitrose    £91.80

Julie Ashfield, MD of Buying at Aldi, said: “We know it’s a difficult time for many people and we’re proud to have been consistently named as the UK’s cheapest supermarket. In the face of an ongoing cost-of-living crisis, we continue to support our customers when it matters most.”

The news comes as Aldi announces the return of its popular school uniform bundle. Available in stores only from 6th July, Aldi’s school uniform bundle includes two polo shirts, one sweatshirt, and a choice of trousers or a pleated skirt, all for just £5. With a huge six-month satisfaction guarantee, Aldi are also introducing a price match guarantee for their school uniform bundle allowing shoppers to purchase the school uniform at the lowest price.

T&C apply.

Missing out on an Aldi shopping experience? Not anymore in five areas

How so? Because Aldi is opening five new stores across the UK in the next several weeks.

They'll be joining the other existing 990+ stores that Aldi already operates. It'll be opening in new locations this month June including Southampton and Whittlesey.

Further stores in Norwich, Castle Donington and Porthcawl will also open early next month, July.

The new stores are a part of Aldi’s commitment to invest over £400 million in store development during 2023.

On average each new store will provide about 40 new jobs on average, thus offering a welcome boost to employment opportunities in local areas.

Store Assistants will be able earn up to £11 nationally, and £12.45 inside the M25 zone, with paid breaks included, increasing to £11.40 and £12.85 respectively from July.

George Brown, Aldi's Real Estate Director, said: “Demand for Aldi has never been higher, and more than two thirds of British households already shop with us.

“However, there are still too many people for whom shopping at Aldi isn’t a convenient option and we’re committed to changing that, thus we'll be giving even more people access to our award-winning products at unbeatable prices.

“To meet that demand, we're investing in new stores up and down the country and won’t stop until we’ve made quality, affordable food accessible to everyone.”

Aldi has been recognised by Which? as the UK’s Cheapest Supermarket for the past 12 consecutive months, with the latest figures showing Aldi was a massive £18.21 cheaper on a basket of shopping than the most expensive supermarket, Waitrose.

List of store locations opening in the coming weeks include:

Hedge End Retail Park, Southampton

Eastrea Road, Whittlesey

Station Road, Castle Donington

William Frost Way, Norwich

Eastern Promenade, Porthcawl

Lidl Crowned king of discounters

Lidl has once again been named cheapest supermarket in The Grocer’s ‘Super Grocer 33’, beating all major supermarkets, including Aldi.

The price index, which compares the price of 33 everyday grocery items across all the UK’s seven major supermarkets, found Lidl to be £19.91 cheaper than Waitrose, the most expensive retailer. This win comes as Lidl’s fourth accolade, out of five surveys since the Grocer 33’s inception.

The survey also found Lidl came out cheapest even after other supermarkets’ discount schemes were taken into consideration. 

Overall, the discounter was found to be 10% (£6.17) cheaper than Tesco, and still £5.13 after Clubcard discounts were applied. Similarly, the same products at Sainsburys cost £6.80 more, with no benefit from the supermarket’s Nectar Prices.

The accolade also comes despite traditional supermarkets recently announcing an array of price drops, demonstrating that the Lidl still offers better value.

The Grocer compares prices of items on shopping lists across the nation as part of the monthly analysis – from fresh produce, such as milk and grapes, to deodorant, and branded items including Hovis Bread and Kellogg’s Corn Flakes. 

Lidl offered the cheapest price on 26 products – and exclusively the lowest price for five products across a range of categories, including:

Baby corn at £2.79 (76p cheaper than the most expensive and 4p cheaper than the next cheapest)

Kellogg’s Corn Flakes at £2.05 (25p cheaper than the most expensive and 20p cheaper than the next cheapest)

Domestos bleach at £1.39 (21p cheaper than the most expensive and 10p cheaper than the next cheapest retailer)

Prawns at £1.99 (£1.76 cheaper than the most expensive and 20p cheaper than the next cheapest)

Custard creams at 54p (26p cheaper than the most expensive and 1p cheaper than the next cheapest)

It’s not just the Super Grocer 33 basket proving this – for the past fourteen weeks Lidl has also been cheapest in a weekly price comparison conducted by the Manchester Evening News on essential groceries.

Ryan McDonnell, Chief Executive Officer at Lidl GB, said: “Every week, independent analysis shows we are consistently the UK’s cheapest supermarket. As a result, we are seeing more customers coming through our doors and switching their weekly shop to Lidl from the traditional supermarkets.

“We know people switch to us make savings, but then stay with us when they realise that they’re not having to compromise on quality.”

Morrisons is bringing back “More reasons to shop at Morrisons”

Morrisons is bringing back “More Reasons To Shop At Morrisons” including a rework of the iconic jingle.  Created with Leo Burnett, the major new advertising and brand campaign debuted on Coronation Street.  It will celebrate the real and motivating reasons why customers choose Morrisons, in a funny, yet relatable way.   

Following research into Morrisons distinctive brand assets, the campaign will see the return of the “More Reasons To Shop At Morrisons” strapline, which was introduced when Sir Ken Morrison was in charge and still resonates very strongly with consumers despite last being used in 2006. 

The “More Reasons To Shop At Morrisons” jingle also showed a very high level of brand recall and salience in the research and so it's been refreshed with a modern twist, while retaining all the familiarity and nostalgia of the much-loved original.  The visual identity, including the green and yellow colour duo and tree logo also remains central to the new campaign after performing strongly in the background research.

At the very heart of the campaign, a series of seven 20 second adverts focus on a different ‘reason’ to shop at Morrisons in a vox-pop and humorous style, direct to camera.  The down to earth and unmistakably British films all end with the catchy new jingle and highlight Morrisons Market Street counters like the freshly-baked doughnuts (make sure the jam doesn't escape!) the freshly baked bread,  the 100% British meat sold on Morrisons butcher counters, (looked after by qualified butchers) the fresh produce, the ‘iconic’ salad bar and the popular café.

A further ‘reason’ is the new More Card loyalty programme which can be used as a physical card or app and has been trialled in a number of stores over the last few weeks.  Customers will now be able to earn points on selected products and counters in store and online as well as earning five points for every litre of fuel purchased in a Morrisons petrol filling station. (But not franchised filling stations) Once customers have saved 5,000 points, they'll receive a Morrisons Fiver which can be redeemed on a future shop, in store or online.  Morrisons programme of market leading exclusive offers which launched last October for loyalty card members will remain a key feature of the new scheme. 

Rachel Eyre, Morrisons Chief Customer and Marketing Officer, said: “Besides the launch of the new loyalty programme, we're also very thrilled to announce our new brand campaign, “More Reasons To Shop at Morrisons”. 

"Our customers tell us there are so many distinctive and motivating reasons to choose Morrisons, such as helpful tips from our expert butchers and fishmongers, our commitment to British meat and produce or our fan-favourite freshly baked doughnuts, and so despite not being used for a long time, “More Reasons” still really resonates. 

“We’ve brought it back in a major new campaign which has had marketing effectiveness front and centre throughout the whole planning and development process, across creative and media. The result is a campaign which celebrates customers' real reasons for choosing Morrisons, in a funny and relatable way. And yes - even the iconic jingle is back!”

Mark Elwood, Executive Creative Director at Leo Burnett, said: “I’m so excited about this brand campaign. “More reasons to shop at Morrisons” and the accompanying ‘jingle’ are both iconic. Bringing back both for a new audience is a total pleasure, with a new brand identity to boot. This campaign highlights the real reasons that our customers shop at Morrisons, time and time again. It’s a funny human campaign that will hopefully be something that resonates with the nation.”

The adverts were directed by Tom Speers of Smuggler and will feature on network TV spots that include Coronation Street, Emmerdale and Britain’s Got Talent. In addition, and in partnership with ITV, the broadcaster’s continuity announcer will be adding a note on how much they love the jingle to their regular update on scheduling across the weekend of 27th May.

The wider campaign will run across TV, radio, press, digital display, social media and out of home as well as in Morrisons stores and online, with media planning and buying led by Wavemaker. 

Sian Runnacles, Client Managing Director at Wavemaker UK, said: “More reasons to shop at Morrisons” ran for nearly 20 years, it captured everything that made Morrisons so distinctive.  We’re extremely excited to be bringing it back, celebrating all the reasons why customers across the UK love what Morrisons has to offer. We’re creating a grand entrance for its return, whilst ensuring the length and breadth of Britain get a deeper understanding of what makes Morrisons great.”

Kickstarting on launch day, an advertising roadblock will ensure everyone ‘catches’ the jingle. Featuring channel takeovers of The Global Traffic Network, the Daily Mail, and Twitter, the campaign will reach nearly 50% of the UK within the first 24 hours.

(EDITOR: I think most older customers still unconsciously hum that jingle when they shop at Morrisons. I know I do! I had no idea that it's not been used by Morrisons for 17 years.)