Supermarkets
Where the basket costs less.
The cheapest UK weekly shop is, on average, at Aldi or Lidl — confirmed quarterly by every consumer body that bothers to test. But the gap to Tesco and Sainsbury's narrows substantially once you're using their loyalty schemes properly.
Below is the British supermarket landscape: the deep-discount chains, the loyalty programmes worth joining, and the surplus marketplaces for the lowest prices of all.
Where to look
- AldiConsistently cheapest weekly basket. No app needed, no loyalty card.
- Lidl PlusLidl's app gives personal vouchers and weekly free items.
- Tesco ClubcardClubcard prices are now substantial. Worth it if you shop there.
- Sainsbury's NectarNectar Prices match Clubcard in scope. Stack with Avios for value.
- Approved FoodShort-dated and surplus groceries online. Steep discounts.
Articles
Clubcard, Nectar, and the two-price supermarket: what loyalty pricing actually saves
British supermarkets now run two price lists — one for members, one for everyone else. What Clubcard Prices and Nectar Prices genuinely save, and where the scheme flatters itself.
15 Jun 20264 min read
The cheapest supermarkets in the UK, ranked honestly
Aldi and Lidl win. But the gap narrows fast once you factor in loyalty cards, own-brand ranges, and the fact that nobody lives equidistant from all seven.
21 Apr 20262 min read