M&S shoppers praised the quality of its products and shopping experience, leaving the supermarket at the top of the list and seeing it named a Which? Recommended Provider (WRP).

Tesco scored impressively and moved up the rankings – coming second for in-store shopping and joint first for online shopping. But it missed out on WRP status due to the consumer champion’s concerns about the accessibility of its Clubcard loyalty scheme.

A total of 3,206 shoppers took part in the annual survey and rated supermarkets they used in the last year on everything from store appearance and queueing time to delivery and the choice of substitutions.

With a customer score of 79%, M&S emerged as the UK’s highest-rated in-store supermarket for the fourth year in a row and was the only retailer to earn five stars for the quality of its own-label and fresh products.

Tesco – the UK’s biggest supermarket – came second in the survey, with an impressive customer score (74%) and four stars for store appearance, product range and stock availability. But it missed out on being a WRP due to its policy of not letting under-18s access lower Clubcard prices.

Aldi (72%), came in joint third, along with Iceland and Waitrose.

Asda and Morrisons both scored 66 per cent and came bottom of the in-store table. They were also the only supermarkets that failed to score more than three stars in any category.

Several Morrisons customers complained of cramped stores and poorly-manned checkouts. “Morrisons has gone downhill,” one said.

Asda scored two stars for everything from value for money and customer service to store appearance and stock availability.

Reena Sewraz, Which? Retail Editor, said: “Our supermarket survey shows that a good shopping experience and quality products really matter to consumers – and M&S beating its rivals to the top spot shows some shoppers are prepared to pay a bit more for that.

“Aldi, Lidl or Iceland may be the preferred choice for those who prioritise affordability above all else. For people lucky enough to have a choice of supermarkets, mixing and matching to get the right mix of quality and bargain prices might be the right approach.

“Not everyone has a choice about where they can buy their groceries, which is why it’s important that supermarkets do all they can to ensure their lowest prices are available to all.

“For supermarkets that have loyalty schemes, this includes ensuring as many customers as possible are able to  access the lower prices they offer without being excluded by age, address or digital access requirements.”