Guide

Which is the cheapest supermarket in the UK? How to find out with your own shop

Scanio App · Sibelion LabUpdated 6 min read

Three shopping baskets with a magnifying glass over the middle one

There is no supermarket that is cheapest for everyone: it depends on what you buy. Price comparisons use a fixed basket, and if your shop looks different the result can change. The reliable way is to compare your own regular basket, item by item, by unit price and with recent prices, including loyalty-card prices.

Why every comparison says something different

  • The basket. A basket full of own-label products favours some chains; one full of big brands favours others.
  • Loyalty prices. Many supermarkets show a lower price only to members of their loyalty scheme. A comparison with member prices and one without can give different winners.
  • The date. Prices change every week. A comparison without a date is not much use.
  • The shop. Online and in-store prices, and big and convenience stores, are not always the same.

Consumer organisations such as Which? publish regular comparisons of the same basket across the big supermarkets. They are a good general reference, but your own shop may come out differently.

How to find where your own shop is cheapest

  1. Gather your usual shop. Keep your receipts for a month: that is what you really buy.
  2. Pick the 15-20 items you buy again and again. They drive your spending.
  3. Compare the same item in each supermarket: same type, same size, and by price per kg or per litre. Whole milk is not semi-skimmed; a multipack is not a single bottle.
  4. Decide whether you will use the loyalty card and compare with member prices only if you will.
  5. Add up the basket in each supermarket and look at the total difference, not item by item.
  6. Repeat it every few months. Prices move.

Frequently asked questions

What is the cheapest supermarket in the UK?

It depends on the basket, the date and whether you use loyalty prices. General comparisons give an idea, but the reliable answer is to compare your usual shop item by item and by unit price.

Is it worth shopping at more than one supermarket?

If the difference on your usual items is big and the shops are close, yes. If you have to travel far, time and transport can eat the saving.

Do loyalty card prices really make a difference?

They can, because member prices are often lower than the standard shelf price. Compare with them only if you actually use that loyalty card.