'Most expensive' supermarket is now cheaper than Aldi and Lidl

Morrisons is cheapest for the basket of essentials in this week's comparison
-Credit: (Image: Manchester Family / MEN)


A supermarket previously criticised for 'taking the mick' with price hikes has now snatched the 'cheapest' title from Aldi, after reducing the cost of an essential item by 15 per cent since last week.

Despite being one of the priciest retailers for much of the past year, Morrisons is currently the most affordable of the six main supermarkets in our weekly comparison, Manchester Evening News reports.

Since March 2022, we've been comparing the prices of a basket containing mince, chicken, a two-pint bottle of milk, a loaf of bread, coffee, teabags, butter and beans at Morrisons, Sainsbury's Tesco, Asda, Aldi and Lidl.

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In April, Morrisons was the most expensive, and in July it faced criticism for increasing the price of its cheapest Savers tea bags by 13 per cent within a week - a hike it reversed following customer backlash.

However, this week, Morrisons is the cheapest of all, having reduced the price of its chicken breasts to the lowest on the market. The Morrisons More Card, which introduced even more offers in stores this week, has seen the price drop from £2.65 for a 330g pack to £2.25, a price that will remain until September 22.

This equates to £2.05 for a 300g pack - the size sold at all other supermarkets - but even Aldi and Lidl's price is £2.25. Asda's is £2.50, while Sainsbury's and Tesco charge even more, at £2.65.

This price cut means the shopping basket at Morrisons now costs £11.95, marking the first time it's been below £12 for quite some time.

Lidl is the second cheapest at £12.03, with Aldi moving into third place at £12.12 after increasing the price of butter from £1.69 to £1.79.

Asda is the fourth cheapest at £12.55, closely followed by Sainsbury's at £12.56. Despite a slight decrease in the price of its budget Stockwell tea bags, Tesco remains the most expensive and, after also putting up the price of its butter, comes in at £12.71.

Aldi disputes the results of our weekly comparison and says that it doesn't take into account like-for-like products or 'the higher quality' of its products. For example, the supermarket says that its beans are 20g heavier than Sainsbury's and that Aldi tea bags are 'better quality than the comparative products used'.

Asda also disagrees with our comparison and says that our small sample of products does not represent the fuller picture of prices and does not account for its deals. The supermarket says that, across the board, its Just Essentials range is the largest and cheapest available, alongside Aldi's.

The full list is as follows:

Morrisons.

Loaf of white bread 800g - 47p.

Milk 2 pints - £1.20.

Coffee (2 x 100g) - £1.98.

Teabags 160 (2 x 80-pack Savers) - £1.60.

Savers Salted butter 250g - £1.69.

Beans 410g tin - 27p.

Chicken 300g - £2.25 for 330g, equates to £2.05 for 300g (down from £2.65 for 330g, or £2.41 for 300g).

Mince 500g 25% fat - £2.29.

Total £11.95 (down from £12.31).

Lidl.

Loaf of white bread 800g - 47p.

Milk 2 pints - £1.20.

Coffee 200g - £1.99.

Teabags 240 - £2.79 / equates to £1.86 for 160.

Salted butter 250g - £1.69.

Beans 420g tin - 28p.

Chicken 300g - £2.25.

Mince 500g 25% fat - £2.29.

Total £12.03.

Sainsbury's is second most expensive
Sainsbury's is second most expensive

Aldi.

Loaf of white bread 800g - 47p.

Milk 2 pints - £1.20.

Coffee 200g - £1.99.

Teabags 160 - £1.85.

Salted butter 250g - £1.79 (up from £1.69).

Beans 420g tin - 28p.

Chicken 300g - £2.25.

Mince 500g 25% fat - £2.29.

Total £12.12 (up from £12.02).

Asda.

Loaf of white bread 800g - 47p.

Milk 2 pints - £1.20.

Coffee 200g (2 x 100g) - £1.98.

Teabags 160 (4 x 40-pack) - £1.80.

Salted butter 250g - £1.69.

Beans 410g tin - 27p.

Chicken 300g - £2.65.

Mince 500g 20% fat - £2.49.

Total £12.55.

Sainsbury's.

Loaf of white bread 800g - 47p.

Milk 2 pints - £1.20.

Coffee 200g - £1.99.

Teabags 160 - £1.85.

Salted butter 250g - £1.79.

Beans 400g tin - 27p.

Chicken 300g - £2.50.

Mince 500g 20% fat - £2.49.

Total £12.56.

Tesco.

Loaf of white bread 800g - 47p.

Milk 2 pints - £1.20.

Coffee 200g (2 x 100g) - £1.98.

Teabags 160 (2 x 80-pack) - £1.84 (down from £1.88).

Salted butter 250g - £1.79 (up from £1.69).

Beans 420g tin - 29p.

Chicken 300g - £2.65.

Mince 500g 20% fat - £2.49.

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