Cheapest supermarket in the UK in 2026? Three independent price studies compared

By Vicky Parry | Updated 22 September 2026

Which? puts Aldi first for its latest mixed basket. A separate Independent/Assosia study also placed Aldi ahead of Lidl, while The Grocer’s latest weekly survey put Asda first among its five regular full-range chains. Here’s what each study actually measures.

There is no single supermarket that will be cheapest for every household. Prices change, and the total depends on what goes into your trolley. We checked three separately conducted UK basket comparisons and a fourth, specialist branded-goods study. They have different shopping lists and collection dates, so their pound totals cannot be averaged or compared as if they were the same shop.

Which supermarket was cheapest in August 2026?

Which? tracked average prices for 92 popular branded and own-brand groceries across August. Its list includes everyday items such as milk and cheese as well as some branded foods. The figures below are basket totals, not prices for one person or one week’s groceries. Loyalty-card totals are shown separately where relevant.

Source: Which?, 3 September 2026. Its prices are averages across August, including eligible offers; they exclude multibuy deals, personalised discounts and the value of points. Basket contents are selected by Which? and not published in full.

What do other independent supermarket comparisons say?

The Grocer’s 18 September 2026 Grocer 33 survey found Asda cheapest for its weekly list of 33 products, beating Tesco by 10p. Tesco’s total was £76.89, so Asda’s reported winning total works out at £76.79. The Grocer routinely compares Asda, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Waitrose; Aldi and Lidl appear only as occasional guest retailers. This result therefore says nothing about whether Asda beat either discounter that week.

How Grocer 33 works: its basket changes each week and its price ranking uses eligible loyalty display prices. Its regular survey covers five full-range chains. The Independent/Assosia 30-item result is older and excludes promotions. Neither should be used as a second confirmation of an August price for an individual product.

Do loyalty cards change which supermarket is cheapest?

Not at the top of this list: Aldi and Lidl were still first and second. But loyalty prices changed the order among some larger chains. Sainsbury’s with Nectar came to £185.55, just 34p more than Asda and £3.90 less than Tesco with Clubcard. Without Nectar, the Sainsbury’s total was £195.33, a difference of £9.78 for this basket. Tesco’s Clubcard reduced its basket total by £3.52.

What if most of your shop is branded?

A separate Which? study of 220 branded products, published on 10 September, put Asda first at £771.27 for its August list. Tesco with Clubcard cost £782.39, Sainsbury’s with Nectar £787.57 and Morrisons with a More Card £797.32. Those totals are for a large research list, not a typical household shop. Aldi and Lidl were excluded because they do not stock the same range of branded goods, so the result cannot show that Asda is cheaper than the discounters for brands.

This is why a blanket claim that Ocado is always the priciest would be misleading. In the 92-item mixed basket, Waitrose was highest and Ocado next. In the separate branded comparison, shopping at Tesco or Sainsbury’s without a loyalty card cost more than Ocado.

What the figures tell you, and what they cannot

Which? checks prices throughout the month, calculates an average for each tracked product and adds them together. Its own-brand matches are chosen to be as comparable as possible, though they are not identical. The 92-item list contains some branded groceries and is not a bespoke one-person weekly meal plan. The Grocer changes its 33-item list weekly and normally omits the discounters. The Independent/Assosia comparison measures 30 products across February without promotional pricing. The branded list is a different study and its totals should never be compared directly with the mixed basket.

Prices in a specific branch or at checkout may differ because of availability, product size, offers and the date you shop. Online delivery charges, minimum spend, substitutions and the cost of travelling between shops can also change what is cheapest for you.

Five ways to find the cheapest shop for your household

1. Keep a list of what you actually use. A supermarket can win a national comparison while costing more for your regular basket.
2. Check the unit price. Compare price per kilogram, litre or 100g when pack sizes differ.
3. Try own-brand equivalents. Start with items where a brand is least important to you, then compare the total bill.
4. Use loyalty prices selectively. Check the shelf label and whether you need a card at checkout. Personalised offers may help, but are not included in the table above.
5. Count the whole cost. A delivery fee or extra journey can wipe out a small basket saving. Plan meals and use food already in the cupboard before shopping.

Common questions

What is the cheapest supermarket in the UK in 2026?

Aldi was cheapest for Which?’s 92-item mixed basket in August 2026, at £159.36. An independent 30-item study using February prices also put Aldi first. The Grocer’s September survey compares a different list and put Asda first among the full-range chains it covered. No study guarantees the lowest price for every household.

Which full-range supermarket was cheapest?

Asda was the cheapest traditional full-range supermarket for Which?’s August 92-item basket at £185.21, narrowly ahead of Sainsbury’s with Nectar at £185.55.

Is Tesco or Sainsbury’s cheaper with a loyalty card?

For Which?’s August basket, Sainsbury’s with Nectar (£185.55) was cheaper than Tesco with Clubcard (£189.45). Your own products and offers may produce a different result.

Is Aldi always cheaper than Lidl?

No. Aldi was £1.74 cheaper for this 92-item comparison, but the best price for your own shop can depend on product choices and local availability.

Prices last checked against the cited Which? reports on 22 September 2026. We will update the comparison when newer comparable research is available.