Asda remains cheapest for branded groceries, Which? reveals
Asda has been named the cheapest supermarket for branded groceries in August, as Which? research shows shoppers can pay more than double for identical products depending on where they shop and whether they use a loyalty card.
In an analysis of 220 popular branded groceries - including Heinz beans, Nescafé coffee and Mr Kipling cakes - the consumer champion found Asda was once again the cheapest supermarket overall, with the list costing £771.21 on average throughout August.
While Which? regularly finds Aldi and Lidl are the cheapest supermarkets overall in its monthly supermarket price comparisons, they are not included in this branded grocery analysis because they do not stock a sufficiently wide range of branded products.
Tesco using a Clubcard (£782.39), Sainsbury's with a Nectar card (£787.57) and Morrisons with More (£797.32) were the next-cheapest on average after Asda.
However, shoppers without loyalty cards faced significantly higher costs, with Tesco (£860.29) and Sainsbury's (£869.16) both proving more expensive than Waitrose (£839.71) and Ocado (£815.28) on average, highlighting the stark impact loyalty pricing can have on the cost of branded groceries.
Shopping at Sainsbury's without a Nectar card was the most expensive option overall, costing nearly 13 per cent more than Asda.
Which? also found price differences of up to 114 per cent across everyday household items in major supermarkets in August.
On average, Listerine Total Care Clean Mint Antibacterial Mouthwash (500ml) continues to see the biggest difference between the highest and lowest price. It was at its lowest price, on average, at Sainsbury’s with a Nectar card (£2.80) and highest at both Sainsbury’s and Tesco without a loyalty card (£6) - a huge 114 per cent difference.
Which? found several other branded products - including Colgate Plax Cool Mint Mouthwash (500ml), Tilda Boil In Bag Basmati Rice (4 x 62.5g), Fox's Chocolatey Milk Chocolate Biscuits Rounds (130g) and Vimto No Added Sugar Squash (1000ml) priced at around twice as much at the most expensive supermarket compared with the cheapest.
There were 149 products from Sainsbury’s on loyalty promotion through the month of the consumer champion’s analysis, 143 at Tesco and six at Morrisons. None of the items in Which?'s analysis were subject to loyalty discounts at Waitrose. Asda and Ocado do not operate member-only pricing in the same way.
While loyalty cards can unlock substantial savings, some shoppers remain unwilling or unable to participate due to concerns around data privacy or eligibility requirements.
Shoppers looking to make the biggest savings may want to consider ditching branded goods altogether. Which? regularly finds supermarket own-brand alternatives are significantly cheaper and often just as good as well-known branded products.
Reena Sewraz, Which? Retail Editor, said:
"With many households still facing intense financial strain, Asda has proved to be the most consistent for affordable branded goods.
“This month's analysis also found that customers can pay more than double for identical products depending on where they shop and whether they use a loyalty card.
“To avoid paying more than you need to, shoppers should try to look out for promotions on branded items, compare value across different products, and check rival retailers to ensure they are getting a genuine deal.”
ENDS
Notes to editors
Research: The products with the biggest price differences
Which? compared the average price of branded groceries across supermarkets in August, including loyalty discounts where applicable, and identified the products with the largest percentage difference between the cheapest and most expensive supermarkets.
While Aldi and Lidl are regularly found to be the cheapest supermarkets overall in Which?'s monthly supermarket price analysis, they were not included in this branded grocery comparison because they do not stock a sufficiently wide range of branded products.
Average loyalty card prices where applicable:
*Sainsbury’s with Nectar: Listerine Total Care Clean Mint Antibacterial Mouthwash 500ml (£2.80), Colgate Plax Cool Mint Mouthwash 500ml (£2.25), Tilda Boil In Bag Basmati Rice 4 x 62.5g (£1.33), Oral-B Pro Expert Toothpaste 75ml (£2.50), McCain Lightly Spiced Potato Wedges 650g (£1.86), Philadelphia Original Soft Cheese 165g (£1.99), Mr Kipling Fruit Pie Selection 6 (£2.28), Little Moons Mochi Ice Cream Vegan Passionfruit and Mango Ice Cream 6 x 32g (£4.71), Loyd Grossman Tomato and Basil Pasta Sauce 350g (£2.59).
**Tesco with Clubcard: Listerine Total Care Clean Mint Antibacterial Mouthwash 500ml (£4.66), Colgate Plax Cool Mint Mouthwash 500ml (£2.25), Oral-B Pro Expert Toothpaste 75ml (£3.15), McCain Lightly Spiced Potato Wedges 650g (£2.12), Mr Kipling Angel Cake Slices 8ea (£2.82), Carex Original Antibacterial Hand Wash 250ml (£1), Philadelphia Original Soft Cheese 165g (£1.38), Mr Kipling Fruit Pie Selection 6 (£2.35), Little Moons Mochi Ice Cream Vegan Passionfruit and Mango Ice Cream 6 x 32g (£4.32), Loyd Grossman Tomato and Basil Pasta Sauce 350g (£1.89).
Price analysis methodology
Which? analysed the price of 220 groceries from the most popular brands – including Chicago Town, Dove, Kellogg’s, Mr Kipling, Nescafé and Tilda – every day over the course of a month to work out the average cost per item. These are added up to get each supermarket's average total price.
The list represents the most popular brands across a wide range of grocery categories based on industry data and is designed to produce a robust sample rather than to be representative of a typical shop.
Which? includes loyalty discounts separately in the table where they are available. The value of points, personalised discounts or other rewards are not included as these vary.
Right of Replies
Each supermarket included in our price analysis was given the right to reply to specific examples.
A spokesperson for Asda said: “We’re proud that Which? has named Asda the lowest-priced supermarket for branded products for a seventh consecutive month. Others may talk about ‘unbeatable prices’, but independent research continues to show that Asda customers get the best prices on their favourite brands.”
A Morrisons spokesperson said: “Morrisons remains committed to providing good, honest value and that's why we are guaranteeing 'Unbeatable Prices' on hundreds of weekly essentials.
“In addition, our More Card members can earn Five More Points on every product in store, online and in Morrisons Daily stores and also benefit from personalised offers and money-off coupons on the things they buy the most of. Customers to our Cafés can also take advantage of a range of offers such as our Kids Eat Free promotion, which runs every day, or free refills on all hot drinks.”
A Sainsbury's spokesperson said: “We have not been able to verify the calculations used by Which? as the group has not shared its full analysis with us.
“With 85 per cent of sales involving a Nectar card, we're confident our customers know they can get great value when they shop with us.
“We're focused on offering outstanding value on the products people buy most often, with more than 10,000 Nectar Price offers available every week on top of personalised Your Nectar Prices.”
Tesco, Waitrose and Ocado did not provide comment.
Useful links
Which? supermarket food inflation tracker shows what's happening to grocery prices
Cheapest supermarket of the month price analysis
About Which?
Which? is the UK’s consumer champion, empowering people to make confident choices and demand better. Through our research, investigations and product testing, we provide trusted insight and expert recommendations on the issues that matter most to consumers.
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