Many Britons rely on supermarket loyalty schemes to cut costs on branded goods (Image: Luke Chan via Getty Images)
With grocery and energy costs continuing to climb, shoppers are more vigilant than ever about their supermarket spending. Many Britons rely on supermarket loyalty schemes to cut costs on branded goods, while budget retailers such as Lidl and Aldi tend to offer lower prices on own-brand products. However, the latest Which? monthly price analysis revealed that Asda was the most affordable supermarket for branded goods, outstripping the nation’s most popular loyalty schemes.
The British supermarket has claimed the top spot for the second consecutive month, beating members-only prices at both Tesco and Sainsbury’s. Which? examined the prices of 241 popular branded groceries — including Dove, Chicago Town, Kellogg’s, Nescafé, Tilda and Mr Kipling — every day for a month to determine the average cost per item, before combining those figures to establish each supermarket’s average basket price.
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The research revealed that Asda’s basket came to £813.16 in March, with these prices — available to all customers — sitting 1% below Clubcard prices at Tesco and 4% below Nectar prices at Sainsbury’s, reports the Mirror.
Morrisons was, on average, 6% more expensive than Asda, with a basket costing £858.67 for More card holders and £860.79 without the card.
For those who choose not to use loyalty cards, whether due to eligibility issues or data privacy concerns, the price difference is even more pronounced. Without a loyalty card, shopping at Sainsbury’s (£933.82) was found to be 15% more costly than Asda, while Tesco (£911.64) was 12% pricier. Remarkably, for the second consecutive month, both Tesco and Sainsbury’s proved more expensive than Waitrose (£902.83) for customers without loyalty schemes.
While Aldi and Lidl are typically the most affordable supermarkets overall, they were omitted from this comparison as they do not carry an extensive range of branded products.
Certain individual products showed mark-ups exceeding 100% for non-members. For example, Nescafé Azera Americano (90g) is priced at £3.50 with a Tesco Clubcard but £7.25 for non-members – representing a 107% increase.
Asda was the most affordable supermarket for branded goods in March (Image: Ceri Breeze via Getty Images)
The largest price difference in March, for the second successive month, was Tilda boil-in-the-bag basmati rice (four-pack), which was £1 at Tesco without a loyalty card compared to £2.25 at Waitrose, a 115% difference.
There were also substantial differences regarding Filippo Berio olive oil, depending on which supermarket you visited.
Filippo Berio Classic Olive Oil (500ml) is priced at £4.98 on average at Asda, compared with £8.51 at Waitrose, a £3.53 (71%) price gap. The brand’s Extra Virgin Olive Oil (750ml) stood at £7 at Morrisons and £11.35 at Waitrose, a £4.35 (62%) variance.
Which? also found Waitrose to be the least expensive for several products, such as Twinings Everyday Tea Bags (80 bags), which averaged £3.21 at Waitrose against £5.61 at Morrisons – a 75% difference. Similarly, Vimto No Added Sugar Squash (1000ml) was priced at £1.36 at Waitrose, but £2.25 at Sainsbury’s and Tesco for non-members – a 65% difference.
The largest price difference in March, for the second successive month, was Tilda boil-in-the-bag basmati rice (Image: blue sky in my pocket via Getty Images)
Colgate Plax Cool Mint Mouthwash (500ml) was £2.47 for Tesco Clubcard holders, but £4.50 on average for non-members at Tesco and Sainsbury’s – an 82% difference.
Reena Sewraz, Which? retail editor said: “Our latest analysis shows Asda beats the UK’s biggest loyalty schemes to be the cheapest for branded goods for the second month running. Meanwhile, shoppers without a membership at Tesco or Sainsbury’s are being charged up to 15% more than the cheaper option – which can make those shops more expensive than Waitrose.
“If you’re loyal to specific brands, the current market is a bit of a lottery. You could easily end up paying double for the exact same jar of coffee or bag of rice depending on where you shop. While membership cards offer targeted discounts, Asda’s straightforward pricing is proving more reliable for fans of big brands who want to keep their grocery bills under control without the need for a card.”
A Sainsbury’s spokesperson said: “More than four in five of the items flagged in this report were cheaper on Nectar Prices and our customers know a good deal when they see one.
The research revealed that Asda’s basket came to £813.16 in March, sitting 1% below Clubcard prices at Tesco (Image: Newscast, Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
“We are committed to delivering outstanding value on the products people buy the most, including over 700 products in the biggest Aldi Price Match on the market and our own‐brand value lines.”
A Tesco spokesperson said: “It is no surprise that Clubcard Prices deliver great value for customers, and with more than 80% of sales involving a Clubcard there are millions of people taking advantage of this every week. However, shoppers can also get great value on thousands of products without using their Clubcard thanks to our combination of Aldi Price Match and Everyday Low Prices.”
A Waitrose spokesperson said: “We consistently offer great value on our customers’ favourite brands. This assessment only provides a snapshot, and does not take into account the wide range of promotions on other products belonging to the brands included within this analysis.”