Aldi has been crowned Britain’s cheapest supermarket after achieving the lowest priced groceries throughout 2024.

The German budget retailer beat off tough competition from its biggest rival, Lidl, to take the top spot for the second year in a row, with the latter landing the number two spot, according to Which?

The British consumer watchdog tracked thousands of grocery prices across the UK’s biggest supermarkets, including Asda, Lidl, Morrisons, Ocado, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Waitrose before crowning Aldi with the coveted title.

Aldi boasted the cheapest priced groceries for every month of 2024, following a report by Which? that assessed what each shop charged for their everyday goods.

The organisation also found shoppers who regularly stocked up at Aldi could save a whopping £393 a year compared to the priciest contender on the list.

This title went to Waitrose; the British supermarket chain was found to be the most expensive supermarket for every month in 2024 apart from September. 

In December 2024, a typical Waitrose shop could cost nearly £500, and more precisely an average total of £458.12.

Research conducted by Which? showed a shopping list of 56 everyday items – including milk and butter – would cost shoppers £100.29 at Aldi if purchased during the festive month.

According to the study, shoppers who stocked up at the German discounter saved an average of £393 over the course of the year

Lidl remained in second place behind Aldi as the cheapest supermarket with the same shopping list costing £1.19 more

Tesco Clubcard prices, have made Tesco cheaper in three out of seven months since Which? began including loyalty prices in its analysis from June 2024

The list of 56 items analysed by Which? in December included both branded and own-brand items, such as Birds Eye peas, Hovis bread, milk and butter

Meanwhile Lidl was on Aldi’s tail throughout with the same number of items priced at a total of £101.56 – and approximately 8p less if purchased with the brand’s loyalty scheme.  

The same number of goods would cost £30 more if you shopped at Waitrose during the same period. The list of 56 items proved most costly at the premier brand for all 12 months of 2024.

The full list of goods analysed by Which? across December looked at both branded and own-brand items, such as Birds Eye Peas, Hovis bread, milk and butter. It further assessed special offer prices and loyalty prices where applicable, but not multibuys.

Each month, Which? also compares the cost of a larger trolley of more than 150 items.

This includes a larger number of branded items and does not include discounter supermarkets Aldi and Lidl, as they do not always stock some of these products.

Asda was the cheapest supermarket for a larger trolley for nine months of the year, but it has been facing a strong challenge from Tesco Clubcard prices, which have made Tesco cheaper in three out of seven months since Which? began including loyalty prices in its analysis from June 2024.

This month, for a bigger shop of 158 items, Tesco (with a Clubcard) was the cheapest on average at £410.40, followed by Sainsbury’s (with a Nectar card) at £412.14 and Morrisons (with a More card) at £414.06. Asda came fourth in December with a trolley costing £415.56.  

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

Waitrose was £29.54 pricier than Aldi in December, at £129.83, and remained the most expensive supermarket for smaller shops for every month in 2024

Using an independent price comparison website, the research tracked thousands of grocery prices across eight of the UK’s biggest supermarkets. Pictured: An Ocado delivery van

The study also found Asda to be the cheapest supermarket for a larger trolley of 150 items – but only for nine months of the year

The analysis includes special offer prices and loyalty prices where applicable, but not multibuys

Harry Rose, Editor of Which? magazine, said: ‘Our research shows Aldi has retained its crown as the UK’s cheapest supermarket in 2024. 

‘A shopper would have saved £393 on average, over the course of a year by choosing to shop at the German discounter rather than the most expensive alternative.

‘After the added expense of the festive period, many households will be looking to cut costs. 

‘Our analysis shows that by switching supermarkets, shoppers can make significant savings, highlighting the advantages of shopping around where possible’.

In 2023 Waitrose was crowned Britain’s most expensive supermarket of the year, while Aldi was named the cheapest.

Lidl came second in terms of offering the cheapest prices throughout the year and beat Aldi in one month.