Major supermarket prices climbed by an average of 3.4% last year as UK inflation soared to its highest level for nearly 30 years today
Aldi was crowned cheapest supermarket of 2021, narrowly edging rival German-discounter Lidl, according to an annual Which? survey.
The consumer group survey found Aldi charged the least for a typical basket of groceries for six months of the year, followed by Lidl which offered the cheapest prices for five months, including the key Christmas period.
According to Which? major supermarket prices climbed by an average of 3.4% last year, with Waitrose leading the way with 9.2% hikes compared with 2020. Sainsbury’s put up prices the least at 0.59%.
In December, Lidl, the 2020 cheapest supermarket of the year, charged £23.29 for a 22-item basket compared with £23.64 at Aldi.
“As well as choosing a supermarket that is cheap overall, other ways to save include swapping from branded to own-brand products, sticking to a shopping list, and resisting the temptation to pick up special offers you don’t need,” said Which? retail editor Ele Clark.
Unsurprisingly perhaps, Waitrose’s like-for-like shopping list was some 41% more expensive than Lidl, at £32.85.
The basket combined various known items including Oxo stock cubes, PG Tips tea bags, and Kenco coffee, as well as own-branded products such as milk and onions.
These findings come as UK household budgets are increasingly being squeezed by sharp price hikes in the energy and food sectors, with several charities warning millions of families may need to choose between heating and eating, Sky News said.
UK inflation soared to its highest level for nearly 30 years today as the consumer price index rose to 5.4% last month, up from 5.1% in November (read more).
“No one wants to overpay for basic groceries, especially when a cost-of-living crunch is putting extra pressure on household budgets,” said Clark.
Read More: Aldi cheapest supermarket in 2021 as rising food prices squeeze