IF your pockets feel pinched after Christmas, here’s the cheapest supermarket for a basket of 68 favourites to help you save cash.
The latest analysis from consumer champion Which? has crowned Aldi as the cheapest grocer in December and for the year.
A basket of 68 items cost £123.60 on average across the month at the German discounter.
The bargain chain was the cheapest supermarket in 10 out of 12 months last year, helping secure its position as the cheapest place to shop in 2025.
Lidl was a close second, with the same basket costing 10p more in December (£123.70), for both Lidl Plus members and non-members.
The analysis showed that at Asda, the same 68 items cost £134.89 on average in December.
Meanwhile a Tesco Clubcard member would have paid £135.84 on average in December, compared with £139.12 without a Clubcard.
Meanwhile, the analysis showed Sainsbury’s Nectar card holders would have paid £141.45, rising to £143.74 without a Nectar card.
At the other end of the scale, Which? found the same basket cost £170.46 at Waitrose in December – £46.86 more than Aldi.
But it is worth noting that prices at supermarkets fluctuate regularly and are subject to change.
In December, Asda was the cheapest non-discounter supermarket for a bigger shop, with 180 items costing £450.82.
Throughout the year, the supermarket consistently beat Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons, even when loyalty prices such as Clubcard and Nectar were included.
Which? found Tesco Clubcard holders would have paid £462 on average in December for the same list of items – over £11 more.
The analysis also showed Tesco shoppers without a Clubcard would have paid £493.53 – or just under £43 more than those who shopped at Asda.
Shoppers at Morrisons would have paid £466.04 with a loyalty discount or £467.46 without – according to Which?’s price analysis – around £15 or £17 more than at Asda.
At Sainsbury’s, Nectar holders would have paid £468.61, while non-members would have paid £501.89 – over £51 more than an Asda shopper.
Meanwhile, those who prefer to shop at Ocado would have paid £498.19 in December for Which?’s list of 180 items – over £47 more than at Asda.
Once again, Waitrose was the most expensive supermarket for the larger shop (£529.17) according to Which?’s analysis.
How to save on your food shop
The news comes as food and soft drink costs surged nearly 5% last year.
And experts have predicted that 2026 could bring even steeper hikes as climate chaos, tax changes and soaring energy send prices rocketing.
Reena Sewraz, Which? Retail Editor, said that food bills are still a “major concern” for many households.
“It really does pay to shop around – choosing one supermarket over another could save shoppers hundreds of pounds over the course of a year,” she explained.
Which? said on average across 2025, the most expensive supermarket was 35% more than the cheapest for a smaller list and 15% more than the cheapest for a larger list.
This means households could make huge annual savings by just switching supermarkets.
Plus, knowing what shelf to pull items from, could also aid in shaving down the cost of your weekly shop.
An investigation by The Sun found shopping on the bottom shelf at the supermarket could help you save over £500 a year.
How to save money on your food shop
Consumer reporter Sam Walker reveals how you can save hundreds of pounds a year:
Odd boxes – plenty of retailers offer slightly misshapen fruit and veg or surplus food at a discounted price.
Lidl sells five kilos of fruit and veg for just £1.50 through its Waste Not scheme while Aldi shoppers can get Too Good to Go bags which contain £10 worth of all kinds of products for £3.30.
Sainsbury’s also sells £2 “Taste Me, Don’t Waste Me” fruit and veg boxes to help shoppers reduced food waste and save cash.
Food waste apps – food waste apps work by helping shops, cafes, restaurants and other businesses shift stock that is due to go out of date and passing it on to members of the public.
Some of the most notable ones include Too Good to Go and Olio.
Too Good to Go’s app is free to sign up to and is used by millions of people across the UK, letting users buy food at a discount.
Olio works similarly, except users can collect both food and other household items for free from neighbours and businesses.
Yellow sticker bargains – yellow sticker bargains, sometimes orange and red in certain supermarkets, are a great way of getting food on the cheap.
But what time to head out to get the best deals varies depending on the retailer. You can see the best times for each supermarket here.
Super cheap bargains – sign up to bargain hunter Facebook groups like Extreme Couponing and Bargains UK where shoppers regularly post hauls they’ve found on the cheap, including food finds.
“Downshift” – you will almost always save money going for a supermarket’s own-brand economy lines rather than premium brands.
The move to lower-tier ranges, also known as “downshifting” and hailed by consumer expert Martin Lewis, could save you hundreds of pounds a year on your food shop.
