'Big four' cheaper than discounters
Updated on 13 December 2008
The discounter supermarkets are more expensive than all of their "big four" rivals, according to new research.
Trade magazine The Grocer found the most expensive place to shop was Aldi, where 33 basic items cost £30.76 - £11.66 more than the cheapest supermarket Asda.
The magazine's research compared the 33 products across Aldi, Lidl and Netto with Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury's and Morrisons for 10 weeks. It found shopping at a discounter could be up to 61% more expensive than sticking to a budget range at a standard supermarket.
The magazine said that although discounters were cheaper on a few items, all four of the major supermarkets were cheaper places to shop overall than any of the discounters.
Tesco's basket at £20.85 was £1.75 more than Asda's £19.10 bill. Sainsbury's cost £21.76 and the Morrisons basket came to £24.92 - 38p cheaper than Lidl, the cheapest discounter that came in at £25.30. The Netto basket cost £25.77, but Aldi cost £4.99 more than its nearest rival.
Aldi managing director Paul Foley told The Grocer that the discounter's products were the "equivalent of finest own-label or brands".
Adam Donaldson, chief executive of ESA, the market research company that carried out the study, said: "These findings are really significant given consumers' perception that discounters are less expensive.
"The question for consumers now becomes one of value. Consumers must decide whether they can obtain the same or better levels of quality at Tesco or Asda as the discounters.
"If the answer is yes, the shift in shoppers to the discounters could easily reverse."
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