Supermarket Savings UK 2026 — Loyalty Cards, Cheapest Supermarkets and How to Cut Your Food BillCheapest Supermarket UK 2026 — Monthly Price Comparison
Which UK supermarket is cheapest in 2026? Monthly price tracker comparing Aldi, Lidl, Asda, Tesco, Sainsbury's, Morrisons, and others on a typical weekly shop.
With food prices remaining high, choosing the right supermarket can save a typical family £50–£80 per month. Here is how the major UK supermarkets compare on price in 2026.
Read more: See our Cost Of Living guide for a complete overview of this topic.
Overall Price Ranking — March 2026
Based on a basket of approximately 65 commonly purchased grocery items:
| Rank | Supermarket | Typical weekly basket cost | vs. cheapest |
|---|
| 1 | Aldi | ~£68 | Baseline |
| 2 | Lidl | ~£69 | +£1 (+1.5%) |
| 3 | Asda | ~£76 | +£8 (+11.8%) |
| 4 | Tesco (with Clubcard) | ~£78 | +£10 (+14.7%) |
| 5 | Morrisons | ~£80 | +£12 (+17.6%) |
| 6 | Sainsbury’s | ~£81 | +£13 (+19.1%) |
| 7 | Tesco (without Clubcard) | ~£83 | +£15 (+22.1%) |
| 8 | Co-op | ~£86 | +£18 (+26.5%) |
| 9 | M&S | ~£95 | +£27 (+39.7%) |
| 10 | Waitrose | ~£98 | +£30 (+44.1%) |
| 11 | Ocado | ~£96 | +£28 (+41.2%) |
Prices are indicative based on independent price comparison sources (Which?, The Grocer, trolley.co.uk). Actual costs vary by location and individual basket.
Annual Savings by Switching
| Switch from | Switch to | Estimated annual saving |
|---|
| Waitrose → Aldi | | ~£1,560 |
| Sainsbury’s → Aldi | | ~£676 |
| Tesco → Aldi | | ~£520 |
| Morrisons → Lidl | | ~£572 |
| Co-op → Asda | | ~£520 |
| Tesco (no Clubcard) → Tesco (with Clubcard) | | ~£260 |
Supermarket-by-Supermarket Breakdown
Aldi
| Feature | Detail |
|---|
| Price position | Consistently cheapest or joint cheapest |
| Own brand quality | High — often wins blind taste tests against branded equivalents |
| Range | Limited — ~1,800 product lines vs ~30,000+ at Tesco |
| Online shopping | No standard grocery delivery |
| Loyalty scheme | None |
| Best for | Budget-conscious shoppers who are flexible on brands |
| Weaknesses | Small stores, limited range, no delivery, queues at checkouts |
Lidl
| Feature | Detail |
|---|
| Price position | Joint cheapest with Aldi — sometimes fractionally more |
| Own brand quality | High — regularly wins quality awards |
| Range | Limited — similar to Aldi |
| Online shopping | No standard grocery delivery |
| Loyalty scheme | Lidl Plus app — offers and coupons |
| Best for | Those who want Aldi-level prices with an app for extra savings |
| Weaknesses | Small stores, limited range, “middle aisle” impulse buys |
Asda
| Feature | Detail |
|---|
| Price position | Cheapest of the big four most months |
| Own brand | Smart Price (budget), Just Essentials, Asda own |
| Range | Full range — ~30,000+ product lines |
| Online shopping | Delivery from £3.50, click and collect available |
| Loyalty scheme | Asda Rewards — cashback on selected items |
| Best for | Those wanting big-four range at lower prices |
| Weaknesses | Quality perception lower than Sainsbury’s/Tesco on premium lines |
Tesco
| Feature | Detail |
|---|
| Price position | Mid-range — but Clubcard Prices close the gap |
| Own brand | Everyday Value (budget), Tesco own, Finest (premium) |
| Range | Largest range of any UK supermarket |
| Online shopping | Full delivery and click and collect |
| Loyalty scheme | Tesco Clubcard — significant discounts, points for Clubcard Plus/Avios |
| Best for | Those who want range, convenience, and are using Clubcard |
| Weaknesses | Expensive without Clubcard — one of the priciest without it |
Sainsbury’s
| Feature | Detail |
|---|
| Price position | Upper mid-range — similar to Morrisons |
| Own brand | Stamford Street (budget), Sainsbury’s own, Taste the Difference |
| Range | Full range |
| Online shopping | Full delivery and click and collect |
| Loyalty scheme | Nectar — personalised app offers, Nectar Prices |
| Best for | Those who value quality own-brand and use Nectar app actively |
| Weaknesses | Pricier than Asda/Tesco on many everyday items |
Morrisons
| Feature | Detail |
|---|
| Price position | Mid-range — sometimes cheaper than Tesco on fresh items |
| Own brand | Savers (budget), Morrisons own, The Best |
| Range | Strong fresh food counters — deli, butcher, fishmonger |
| Online shopping | Delivery via Amazon (Morrisons on Amazon) and own service |
| Loyalty scheme | Morrisons More Card — points and offers |
| Best for | Those who value fresh food counters and in-store preparation |
| Weaknesses | Fewer stores, online delivery less developed |
Loyalty Cards Compared
| Card | Supermarket | Key benefits | Worth it? |
|---|
| Clubcard | Tesco | Clubcard Prices (huge discounts on 100s of items), points (1p per £1), Clubcard Plus subscription | Yes — essential if you shop at Tesco |
| Nectar | Sainsbury’s | Nectar Prices, personalised offers via app, points at multiple retailers | Yes — especially with active app use |
| Asda Rewards | Asda | Cashback on selected items, Star Products | Modest savings — worth using |
| Morrisons More | Morrisons | Points, personalised offers | Moderate — smaller discounts |
| Lidl Plus | Lidl | In-app coupons, weekly offers, scratch cards | Yes — small but regular savings |
| myWaitrose | Waitrose | Free tea/coffee, 10% off selected items | Small perks — won’t offset premium prices |
| Co-op membership | Co-op | 2p per £1 on own-brand, community support | Limited savings unless you shop there regularly |
Tips to Cut Your Grocery Bill
| Tip | Estimated saving |
|---|
| Switch from big four to Aldi/Lidl | £40–£80/month |
| Buy own-brand instead of branded | £15–£30/month |
| Plan meals weekly and shop from a list | £20–£40/month |
| Use yellow-sticker reduced items | £10–£20/month |
| Buy frozen veg instead of fresh (where appropriate) | £5–£10/month |
| Batch cook and freeze | £20–£30/month |
| Use loyalty card offers actively | £10–£20/month |
| Check unit prices (price per kg/litre) not just total price | Variable |
| Avoid shopping while hungry | Impulse buys add £5–£15/trip |
| Try online delivery to reduce impulse purchases | £15–£25/month |
| App/Tool | What it does |
|---|
| Too Good To Go | Surplus food bags from supermarkets and restaurants — typically £3–£4 for £10+ of food |
| Approved Food | Online clearance store for short-dated stock |
| trolley.co.uk | Price comparison across major supermarkets |
| Latest Deals / HotUKDeals | Community-sourced deals and offers |
| Supermarket own apps | Personalised offers, digital coupons, and loyalty points |
Price Comparison by Category
Everyday Essentials (March 2026)
| Item | Aldi | Lidl | Asda | Tesco (Clubcard) | Sainsbury’s |
|---|
| Semi-skimmed milk (2 pint) | £1.15 | £1.15 | £1.15 | £1.15 | £1.15 |
| White bread (800g) | £0.39 | £0.39 | £0.47 | £0.47 | £0.50 |
| 6 free-range eggs | £1.29 | £1.29 | £1.50 | £1.40 | £1.60 |
| Butter (250g) | £1.69 | £1.69 | £1.85 | £1.79 | £1.85 |
| Cheddar cheese (400g) | £2.19 | £2.19 | £2.50 | £2.35 | £2.60 |
| Chicken breast (1kg) | £5.49 | £5.49 | £5.99 | £5.75 | £6.00 |
| Bananas (5 pack) | £0.69 | £0.69 | £0.73 | £0.75 | £0.75 |
| Pasta (500g own brand) | £0.55 | £0.55 | £0.70 | £0.70 | £0.75 |
| Tinned tomatoes (400g) | £0.29 | £0.29 | £0.33 | £0.35 | £0.35 |
Prices are indicative and vary by region and date.
The Split-Shop Strategy
Many savvy shoppers use a split-shop approach:
| Shop | What to buy |
|---|
| Aldi / Lidl | Fresh fruit, veg, meat, dairy, bakery, own-brand staples (70–80% of your shop) |
| Tesco / Sainsbury’s (with loyalty card) | Specific branded products on Clubcard/Nectar Prices, anything you can’t get at discounters |
| Local market | Fresh fruit and veg (often cheapest and freshest) |
This approach gets you the best prices on bulk essentials while still picking up specific branded items at the best loyalty-card price.
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