Aldi has been named the UK’s cheapest supermarket in April according to new analysis.

Research by consumer champion Which? found shoppers could save £17 on a basket of items from Aldi compared to the most expensive store.

The monthly analysis involves comparing the prices of a shop that this time consisted of 39 popular groceries at eight of the UK’s biggest supermarkets.

The cheapest supermarket this month was Aldi, where a basket of goods cost £69.99 on average across the month.

Lidl placed behind Aldi with a difference of 65p (£70.64), widening the gap from last month which was just a 25p difference.

The same shop at Waitrose was £87.33 on average, a difference of £17.34 – or 24.7 per cent more.

Asda named the cheapest supermarket for ‘larger trolley items’ says Which?

Which? also compared the cost of a larger trolley of 135 items – the original 39, plus 96 more.

Asda was the cheapest for this larger trolley of groceries, a title it’s held since January 2020.

In April it cost £343.46 for this shop, widening the gap between Asda and the next cheapest, Sainsbury’s (£353.96), which was £10.50 more.

This comparison included a larger number of branded items, such as Andrex toilet paper and Cathedral City cheese, and did not include discounter supermarkets Aldi and Lidl because they do not sell the full range of branded items included in the larger price analysis. 

What does April’s pricing analysis by Which? mean for shoppers?

This latest pricing analysis from Which? demonstrates that shoppers can make considerable savings on their groceries depending on where they buy their food.

However, with even budget ranges and prices at the discounters rising significantly, and the traditional supermarkets’ convenience stores failing to offer or stock budget lines, the consumer champion believes supermarkets must do more to help their customers.

Which? has found that while some good practice exists, many of the major supermarkets have not done enough to support their customers during the cost of living crisis.

The consumer company said retailers should be helping customers by making sure affordable basic ranges are available in all branches including convenience stores, as well as improving unit pricing on all products, so that customers can easily work out the best value for them.

While some of the supermarkets have engaged with the consumer champion as part of its Affordable Food For All campaign, Which? said none have committed to any of the changes laid out by the company as being vital for consumers during this difficult time.

Which? is now calling on the major supermarkets to act by providing the support people around the country desperately need in order to keep food on the table during the ongoing cost of living crisis.

Ele Clark, Which? retail editor, said: “The price of food and drink has continued to soar as people suffer through the worst cost of living crisis in decades.

"It’s no surprise to see many people turning to discounters like Aldi and Lidl when our research shows they could save up to £17 on a basket of everyday groceries by doing so.

“Supermarkets aren’t currently doing enough to help shoppers. Which? believes the big retailers have a responsibility to ensure everyone has easy access to basic, affordable food ranges at a store near them, and to provide transparent and comparable pricing so people can easily work out which products offer the best value.”