For most of last year it was the most expensive supermarket when it came to essential groceries.
Week on week, Asda was consistently the sweetest for a basket of eight essentials that we’ve been eyeing across the six major supermarkets for more than two years.
But now it’s hot on the heels of budget retailers Aldi and Lidl, with bills separated by just a few cents.
With that in mind, I decided to open a large store there to see how prices perform across the board.
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In January, the retailer was the first to launch a joint Aldi and Lidl Price Match, matching the price of around 280 products to whichever retailer is the cheapest. It has since expanded to around 400 products, but it still makes up a relatively small percentage of Asda’s total stock.
It did make a difference to a few of the items I picked up this week. A 500g packet of pasta had dropped from the 95p I paid in a shop last year to 69p, a 4 pint bottle of milk dropped from £1.65 to £1.45 and butter from £1.99 to £1 ,69.
But it was pleasing to see other prices drop regardless of price match, including a 700g bottle of Heinz ketchup, from last year’s £3.90 to £3.65 – not a great price, but at least in the right direction.
Heinz beans have also fallen; last year the four-pack of 415g cans cost £4, but has now dropped to £3.75, or £4.75 for six. The four for £4 deal on other Heinz cans such as spaghetti and sausages is also better than elsewhere, including Tesco’s three for £4.50 and Morrisons’ three for £4.
Other discounts included a 400g block of cheddar from £3 to £2.80 and Mr Kipling Mini Battenbergs on offer for £1.25, while a pack cost me £2.30 last year.
There were some decent offers on other products too, dropping Bisto Gravy from £3 to £2.50, Dr. Oetker pizzas from £3 to £1.50 and if I’d had a freezer space I would definitely have bought some of the four for £5 Birds Eye and Goodfella’s products.
Meanwhile, the supermarket’s budget Just Essentials range helped keep my bill down, with a bag of four avocados for £1.40 and 700g of peppers for £1.90.
I also bought a few items with yellow stickers, including a cheesy garlic bread, reduced from £1.90 to £1.22, and a 650g pack of minced steak, reduced from £4.45 to £3.20.
Of course, not everything was cheaper and there is no denying that some prices are still rising. We reported earlier this week that Asda’s extra virgin olive oil now costs £8.40 per liter and Tetley’s tea bags have risen from £1.90 for a pack of 80 last year to £3.15. A liter of orange juice – from concentrate – has also risen from £1 to £1.65.
However, Asda is certainly not alone in the increases and there are similar prices at other major supermarkets. Like everywhere else, potatoes are on the rise, costing £1.89 for a 2kg bag, and eggs £2.95 for a dozen large free-range ones. Shrinkflation is also still at play, evident in Asda’s grapes, which cost £1.30 for 400g last year and are now the same price for 375g.
Overall, Asda’s prices were a bit of a mixed bag. But if you want more of the big brands that aren’t sold in the budgets, this is definitely something to consider, especially if you take advantage of the various offers.
An Asda spokesperson said: “Asda is consistently recognized as the traditional supermarket with the best value for money in independent price comparison surveys. These include the Grocer 33 basket comparison based on shelf prices and the Which? monthly comparison of Big Shop trolleys.
“As well as offering the lowest prices of any traditional supermarket, our customers can save even more by using the Asda Rewards app. This app gives them money back into their Cashpot every time they shop, which they can use to reduce the price they pay at the checkout. In less than two years since launch, Rewards is now used by more than six million customers who have saved a total of more than £420 million.”
Full Asda store
- Warburtons 6 Sliced Soft White Buns, 6 Pack £1.20
- Warburton’s Whole Wheat Flour 800g £1.35
- Hovis Thick Soft White Bread 800g €1.39
- Brioche 6-pack €2.00
- Chicken breast fillets 300g € 2.50
- ASDA Wafer Thin Smoked Ham 400g €2.50
- Bacon 300g 2 x 300g for £4
- Lean ground beef (typically less than 5% fat) 500g £3.49
- Pork sausages 8-pack €2.25
- Snack Pork Sausage Rolls 12-pack €1.95
- Cottage cheese €1.50
- Salted butter 250 g € 1.69
- Skimmed milk 4 pint £1.45
- Medium Cheddar Cheese 400g €2.80
- 12 large free-range eggs €2.95
- Onken Non-Fat Yoghurt 450g € 1.95
- Richmond skinless sausages 16 pack £2.50
- Dutch potato and meat pies €4.40
- Dr Oetker Pizza €1.50
- Chips with skin 750g £1.40
- Magnum white ice cream 400 ml € 3.25
- Heinz Tomato Ketchup 700g €3.65
- Heinz Mayonnaise 700g €3
- Fusilli pasta 500g 69pcs
- Chopped Tomatoes in Tomato Juice 400g 47p x 2 94p
- Heinz Spaghetti and Sausage 4 for £4
- Bisto gravy €2.50
- Seedless Red Grapes 375g £1.30
- Blueberries 125g €1.39
- Paprika 700g € 1.90
- Avocado 4-pack €1.40
- Maris Piper potatoes 2 kg € 1.89
- Easy Cook Long Grain White Rice 1kg € 1.25
- Seabrook chips 18-pack €3.50
- Mr Kipling Mini Battenbergs, 5 pieces, €1.25
- Orange Juice Smooth Carton 1l £1
- Just Essentials orange juice 1L € 1.19
- Just Essentials apple juice 1L 99p
- Just Essentials pepperoni pizza £1.25
- Garlic Flatbread 245g €1.22 (yellow sticker)
- Minced meat with reduced fat content 650 g € 3.20 (yellow sticker)
Total £85.53