Aldi has once again been named as the most economical supermarket in the UK, narrowly surpassing its discount competitor, Lidl.

A recent assessment by consumer group Which? scrutinized groceries from eight major UK supermarket chains in July. The evaluation encompassed a range of products, both own-label and branded, such as milk, cheese, and Hovis sliced bread.

In the analysis, Aldi emerged as the most cost-effective option at £158.05, closely trailed by Lidl at £160.70. Asda secured the third spot in the rankings with £185.81, maintaining its reputation for affordability even without loyalty programs.

This revelation brings some respite to struggling Asda amid a decline in market share and fierce competition. Speculation has also surfaced about a potential revival of a £12 billion merger between Asda and Sainsbury’s, seven years after its initial collapse.

According to Which?, shoppers utilizing Nectar loyalty scheme discounts at Sainsbury’s spent an average of £187.86 on a large shopping trip, slightly edging out Tesco’s Clubcard prices at £188.45. Morrisons and Tesco, sans Clubcard, shared the same total expenditure for the listed items in July at £195.63.

Waitrose retained its position as the priciest supermarket at £226.95, marking a 44% premium compared to Aldi for similar products. Ocado followed as the second most expensive at £209.40, reflecting a 32% higher cost than Aldi.

Reena Sewraz, Which? Retail Editor, emphasized the continued affordability of discounters and highlighted Asda’s competitive pricing compared to Sainsbury’s and Tesco. She emphasized the significant difference in costs, advising consumers to consider alternative shopping destinations to reduce their weekly grocery expenses.