I shopped at the supermarket that's been pennies apart from Aldi and Lidl for essentials

For most of last year, it was the most expensive supermarket when it came to key shopping essentials.

Week after week, Asda was consistently the dearest for a shopping basket of eight essentials that we've been tracking at the six main supermarkets for more than two years.

But now it's chomping at the heels of budget retailers Aldi and Lidl, with a bill that's just pennies apart.

With that in mind, I decided to do a big shop there to see how its prices are faring across the board.

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In January the retailer became the first to launch a joint Aldi and Lidl Price Match - matching the price of whichever retailer is cheaper on around 280 products. It's since been expanded to cover around 400 products altogether, but is still a relatively small percentage of Asda's overall stock.

It did make a difference to a few of the items I picked up this week though. A 500g packet of pasta was down to 69p from the 95p I paid in a shop last year, a four-pint bottle of milk down from £1.65 to £1.45 and butter down from £1.99 to £1.69.

But it was pleasing to see that other prices were down regardless of the price match, including a 700g bottle of Heinz Ketchup, down from last year's £3.90 to £3.65 - not a great price, but at least going in the right direction.

Heinz beans are down too, with last year's four-pack of 415g tins costing £4, but now down to £3.75, or £4.75 for six. Its four for £4 deal on other Heinz tins like spaghetti and sausages is also better than elsewhere, including Tesco's three for £4.50 and Morrisons' three for £4.

Other reductions included a 400g block of cheddar down from £3 to £2.80 and Mr Kipling Mini Battenbergs on offer for £1.25, when last year a pack cost me £2.30.

There were some decent offers on other products too, bringing Bisto Gravy down from £3 to £2.50, Dr Oetker pizzas down from £3 to £1.50 and, if I'd have had any freezer room, I would definitely have picked up 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 a 700g of peppers for £1.90.

I also picked up a couple of yellow sticker items, including a cheesy garlic bread, reduced from £1.90 to £1.22 and a 650g pack of reduced fat beef steak mince, down from £4.45 to £3.20.

Of course not everything was cheaper and there's no escaping the fact that some prices are still rising. We reported earlier this week how Asda's Extra Virgin Olive Oil is now £8.40 a litre and Tetley tea bags have gone up from £1.90 for a pack of 80 last year to £3.15. A litre of orange juice - the one from concentrate - has also risen from £1 to £1.65.

Asda is certainly not alone with the hikes though and there are similar prices across other the other main supermarkets. Like everywhere else, potatoes are up, costing £1.89 for a 2kg bag, and eggs £2.95 for a dozen large free range. Shrinkflation is still a factor too - evident with Asda's grapes, which last year were £1.30 for 400g and now the same price for 375g.

Overall, Asda's prices were a bit of a mixed bag. But if you're wanting more of the big brands that the budgets don't sell, it's definitely one to consider, especially if you make use of the various offers.

An Asda spokesperson said: “Asda is consistently recognised as the best-value traditional supermarket in independent price comparison surveys. These include the Grocer 33 basket comparison based on shelf-edge prices and the Which? monthly Big Shop trolley comparison.

"In addition to offering the lowest prices of any traditional supermarket, our customers can make further savings by using the Asda Rewards app. This app gives them money back into their Cashpot each time they shop, which they can use to reduce the price they pay at the till. In less than two years since its launch, Rewards is now used by over six million customers who have saved more than £420m in total.”

Full Asda shop

• Warburtons 6 Sliced Soft White Rolls 6pk £1.20

• Warburton's Wholemeal 800g £1.35

• Hovis Thick Soft White Bread 800g £1.39

• Brioche 6-pack £2

• Chicken Breast Fillets 300g £2.50

• ASDA Wafer Thin Smoked Ham 400g £2.50

• Bacon 300g 2 x 300g for £4

• Lean Beef Steak Mince (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 250g £1.69

• Skimmed Milk 4 pint £1.45

• Medium Cheddar Cheese 400g £2.80

• 12 large free range eggs £2.95

• Onken Fat Free Yogurt 450g £1.95

• Richmond skinless sausages 16-pack £2.50

• Holland's potato and meat pies £4.40

• Dr Oetker Pizza £1.50

• Skin on fries 750g £1.40

• Magnum White Ice Cream 400ml £3.25

• Heinz Tomato Ketchup 700g £3.65

• Heinz Mayonnaise 700g £3

• Fusilli pasta 500g 69p

• Chopped Tomatoes in Tomato Juice 400g 47p x 2 94p

• Heinz Spaghetti and Sausages 4 for £4

• Bisto Gravy £2.50

• Seedless Red Grapes 375g £1.30

• Blueberries 125g £1.39

• Peppers 700g £1.90

• Avocado 4-pack £1.40

• Maris Piper potatoes 2kg £1.89

• Easy Cook Long Grain White Rice 1kg £1.25

• Seabrook crisps 18-pack £3.50

• Mr Kipling Mini Battenbergs 5pk £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)

• Reduced fat mince 650g £3.20 (yellow Sticker)

Total £85.53