A supermarket that was the most expensive for essentials for most of last year is now just a penny behind Aldi and Lidl.
Our comparison of essentials like bread and milk found that eight basic needs were top of mind for Asda for most of 2023.
Since we first started tracking prices in March 2022, it has held the bottom spot for the most number of weeks, behind the other five major supermarkets: Lidl, Aldi, Tesco, Morrisons and Sainsbury’s.
But this week everything changes as the retailer is the third cheapest – and just a few cents behind Lidl and Aldi.
Read more: Shoppers are rushing to get their hands on Aldi’s new £1.99 ice creams
A reduction in the cost of the 300g pack of chicken fillets, from £2.65 to £2.50, means the total bill for the basket is £12.18.
In addition to bread, milk and chicken, the weekly basket also contains coffee, tea bags, butter, white beans and minced meat.
A large part of Asda’s basket is made up of products from the Just Essentials range, which launched in summer 2022 and includes more than 250 items, replacing the former Smart Price brand.
The bright yellow packaging angered some customers, who said it ’embarrassed poorer families’ by highlighting the fact that they were buying cheaper products, but others said they liked that the cheaper items were easier to find.
Lidl remains the cheapest in our comparison for the fourth week in a row, with a bill of £12.11, followed by Aldi’s £12.14.
Morrisons is the fourth cheapest after Asda at £12.27, followed by Sainsbury’s at £12.33 and Tesco, which is the most expensive for a third week, with a bill of £12.62.
Aldi disputes the results of our weekly comparison, saying it does not take into account comparable products or ‘the higher quality’ of its products. For example, the supermarket says that Aldi beans are 20 grams heavier than Sainsbury’s and that Aldi tea bags are ‘better quality than the comparable products used’.
Asda also disagrees with our comparison, saying our small sample of products does not reflect the full price picture and does not take into account the offers. The supermarket says its Just Essentials range is the largest and cheapest across the board, alongside Aldi’s.
The full list is as follows:
Lidl
White bread 800g – 45pcs
Milk 2 pints – £1.20
Coffee 200g – £1.99
Tea Bags 240 – £2.79 / equivalent to £1.86 for 160
Salted Butter 250g – £1.69
Beans can 420g – 28 pcs
Chicken 300g – £2.35
Chop 500g 25% fat – £2.29
Total £12.11
Aldi
White bread 800g – 45pcs
Milk 2 pints – £1.20
Coffee 200g – £1.99
Tea Bags 160 – £1.89
Salted Butter 250g – £1.69
Beans can 420g – 28 pcs
Chicken 300g – £2.35
Chop 500g 25% fat – £2.29
Total £12.14
Asda
White bread 800g – 45pcs
Milk 2 pints – £1.20
Coffee 200g (2 x 100g) – £1.98
Tea Bags 160 (4 x 40 pieces) – £1.60
Salted Butter 250g – £1.69
Beans can 410g – 27 pcs
Chicken 300g – £2.50 (under £2.65)
Chop 500g 20% fat -€2.49
Total £12.18 (was £12.33)
Morrisons
White bread 800g – 45pcs
Milk 2 pints – £1.20
Coffee (2 x 100g) – £1.98
Tea Bags 160 (2 x 80-pack Savers) – £1.58
Savers Salted Butter 250g – £1.69
Beans can 410g – 27 pcs
Chicken 300g – £2.65 for 330g, works out to £2.41 for 300g
Chop 500g 25% fat – £2.29
Total £12.27
Sainsbury’s
White bread 800g – 45pcs
Milk 2 pints – £1.20
Coffee 200g – £1.99
Tea Bags 160 – £1.89
Salted Butter 250g – £1.69
Beans can 400g – 27 pcs
Chicken 300g – £2.35
Chop 500g 20% fat – £2.49
Total £12.33
Tesco
White bread 800g – 45pcs
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 can 420g – 28 pcs
Chicken 300g – £2.65
Chop 500g 20% fat – £2.49
Total £12.62