A supermarket that was the cheapest store for a shopping basket two months ago is now the second most expensive supermarket.
After Morrisons hiked the price of one item by 13% last week, it is now among the most expensive. The MEN has been monitoring the cost of the same eight basic items across the top six supermarkets for more than two years, since the cost of living crisis really started to bite.
In May, Morrisons was the cheapest option for groceries including milk, bread, tea bags, coffee, butter, baked beans, chicken fillets and mince. However, the retailer is now the second most expensive for these items after the price of the cheapest Savers tea bags was increased from 79p for a pack of 80 to 89p since last week.
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This means the cost of the 160-pack, the pack size we compare across all supermarkets, has increased by a shocking 13%. It is disappointing news for shoppers who had hoped to see the end of the significant weekly price increases on products.
Lidl remains the cheapest of all retailers, with a bill of £12.11, closely followed by Aldi on £12.14 and Asda, which is just a few pennies behind for the fifth week in a row, with a bill of £12.18. Sainsbury’s is the fourth cheapest at £12.33, followed by Morrisons, now on £12.47, and the most expensive is Tesco, at £12.62.
Aldi disputed the results of our weekly comparison, arguing that it does not take into account similar products or the ‘higher quality’ of its items. For example, Aldi claims that its beans are 20g heavier than Sainsbury’s and that its tea bags are ‘of a better quality than the comparable products used’.
Asda also disagrees with our comparison, saying our small sample of products doesn’t give a complete picture of prices and doesn’t take into account deals. The supermarket claims its Just Essentials range is the biggest and cheapest available, alongside Aldi.
Here’s the full list:
Lidl
White bread 800g – 45p.
2 pints of milk – £1.20.
200g coffee – £1.99.
240 tea bags – £2.79 (equivalent to £1.86 for 160).
250g salted butter – £1.69.
Can of 420 g beans – 28p.
300g chicken – £2.35.
500g minced meat with 25% fat – £2.29.
Total: £12.11.
Aldi
800g white bread – 45p.
2 pints of milk – £1.20.
200g coffee – £1.99.
160 tea bags – £1.89.
250g salted butter – £1.69.
Can of 420 g beans – 28p.
300g chicken – £2.35.
500g minced meat with 25% fat – £2.29.
Total: £12.14.
Asda
800g white bread – 45p.
2 pints of milk – £1.20.
200g coffee (2 x 100g) – £1.98.
160 tea bags (4 x 40 pack) – £1.60.
250g salted butter – £1.69.
Can of 410 g beans – 27p.
300g chicken – £2.50.
500g minced meat with 20% fat – £2.49.
Total: £12.18.
Sainsbury’s
800g white bread – 45p.
2 pints of milk – £1.20.
200g coffee – £1.99.
160 tea bags – £1.89.
250g salted butter – £1.69.
Beans 400g can – 27p.
Chicken 300g – £2.35.
Mince 500g 20% fat – £2.49.
Total £12.33.
Morrisons
White bread 800g – 45p.
Milk 2 pints – £1.20.
Coffee (2 x 100g) – £1.98.
Tea Bags 160 (2 x 80-pack Savers) – £1.78 (instead of £1.58).
Savers Salted Butter 250g – £1.69.
Beans 410g can – 27p.
Chicken 300g – £2.65 for 330g, which works out at £2.41 for 300g.
Minced Meat 500g 25% Fat – £2.29.
Total £12.47 (up from £12.27).
Tesco
White bread 800g – 45p.
Milk 2 pints – £1.20.
Coffee 200g (2 x 100g) – £1.98.
Tea Bags 160 (2 x 80 pack) – £1.88.
Salted Butter 250g – £1.69.
Beans 420g can – 28 pcs.
Chicken 300g – £2.65.
Mince 500g 20% fat – £2.49.