Why budget supermarkets might not always be the cheapest option… and how to make sure you ALWAYS bag the biggest bargain
Waitrose beats Poundland and Sainsbury's shaves two thirds off Morrison's price in these surprising comparisons
WHEN on the hunt for bargain food, most people will head straight to the 'budget' supermarkets.
Aldi, Lidl and Asda normally win when it comes to the overall trolley price wars but, as these examples show, they aren't always the cheapest option.
Asda hit headlines earlier this week for , overtaking Waitrose as the priciest supermarket.
And they're not the only ones.
Poundland is pricier than Waitrose in some of these 12 comparisons, while Aldi charges more than Ocado
Bran Flakes (1kg, own brand)
Tesco's cheap own brand Bran Flakes undercut Morrisons by a huge 74p, and Aldi by 7p.
Tesco: £1.10
Aldi: £1.17 (88p per 750g)
Sainsbury's: £1.80
Morrisons: £1.84
Heinz Classic Cream of Tomato Soup
It's not all frozen goods in Iceland, and if you want cheap Heinz tomato soup this is the place to go.
While Poundland is the priciest seller, at 4p more than upmarket Waitrose.
Iceland: 89p
Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury's: 95p
Waitrose: 96p
Poundland: £1
MOST READ IN SHOPPING
Green beans (220g, own brand)
Tesco's green beans beat Asda, Lidl and Aldi in the price comparison - saving 6p.
Tesco: 89p
Asda, Lidl, Aldi: 95p
Ocado: £1
Lynx Africa Deodrant Body Spray (150ml)
Poundstretcher is the clear winner on this popular deodorant, followed by Iceland and Sainsbury's - who both pip Lidl to the post.
Interestingly, all the supermarkets - even Waitrose - are cheaper than Superdrug.
Poundstretcher: £1.89
Iceland: £2
Sainsbury's: £2.25
Lidl: £2.29
Tesco, Asda, Morrisons, Ocado: £3
Waitrose, Boots: £3.15
Superdrug: £3.29
Birds Eye Original beef Quarter Pounders with Onion (4 per pack)
Sainsbury's have undercut Asda yet again, offering cheaper burgers from the popular Birds Eye range.
Sainsbury's: £2.25
Asda, Tesco, Ocado: £2.49
How to cut costs
- Compare your shopping list on MySupermarket.co.uk
- Split your weekly shop between different supermarkets to get the cheapest items
- Crouch down to bag a bargain (the more expensive items are in your eyeline)
- Scale up size-wise to save money
- Always use a loyalty card if you can
- Don't buy pre-chopped veg and grated cheese
- Never shop when you're hungry
Chicken breast portions (950g)
If you've got a big family, head to Tesco's or Aldi over Lidl.
Aldi: £4.93 (based on a price of £5.19 per kilo)
Tesco: £5
Lidl: £5.59
British Honey Roast Ham Slices (10 per pack, own brand)
Sainsbury's are 19p cheaper than Aldi when it comes to Honey Roast Ham Slices - and Ocado is the surprising second cheapest choice.
However, Aldi's ham is a 100% pork product compared to Sainsbury's - which has up to 15% added water.
Sainsbury's: £1
Ocado: £1.09
Aldi: £1.19 (Aldi's ham is a 100% pork product, with no added water)
Tesco: £2
Macaroni Cheese (400g, own brand)
Sainsbury's budget tinned Macaroni Cheese is 15p cheaper than Lidl, 24p cheaper than Asda and 40p cheaper than Morrisons.
Sainsbury's: 25p
Lidl: 40p
Asda: 49p
Tesco: 50p
Morrisons: 65p
Raspberry jam (454g, own brand)
As is often the case, Aldi and Lidl are the clear winners here with 65p for 454g.
Waitrose trails behind, costing 80p, but they're still considerably cheaper than Poundland - who charge £1 for just 380g.
Aldi: 59p
Lidl: 65p
Sainsbury's, Tesco, Morrisons: 75p
Waitrose: 80p
Poundland: £1 (for 380g)
Mashed potato (400g)
If you're a fan of pre-prepared mashed potato, you should be heading to Sainsbury's over Asda.
Sainsbury's: 85p
Asda, Tesco, Morrisons, Waitrose, Ocado: £1
Concentrated Fabric Conditioner (1.5litre, own brand)
Tesco's Pure concentrated fabric conditioner is 18p cheaper than the similar product at Lidl, and 19p cheaper than Aldi.
Tesco: £1.30
Lidl: £1.46
Aldi: £1.48 (£99p per 1 litre)
Wafer Thin Cooked Chicken Slices (200g)
Lidl's wafer thin cooked chicken slices are a whole 59p more than Sainsbury's - while Asda comes down the middle.
Sainsbury's: £1
Asda: £1.18
Lidl: £1.59
All prices were sourced from MySupermarket, Poundland's website and Sainsbury's/Tesco price comparison research.
Based on each supermarket's normal price excluding deals. All items are like for like products of the same weight, except where stated.
