Which is the cheapest UK supermarket?
The honest answer: there isn't one. No single supermarket is cheapest for everything — it depends entirely on what's in your basket. Here's how the ten big UK supermarkets actually stack up, and how to find the cheapest one for your shop.
Compare live prices now →The discounters: Aldi and Lidl
On like-for-like basics — own-brand staples, fresh produce, store-cupboard essentials — Aldi and Lidl are usually the cheapest, and independent basket surveys back that up week after week. The trade-off is a smaller range and fewer big-name brands. If your shop is mostly basics, the discounters are hard to beat. But if you need specific branded products they don't stock, you'll end up topping up elsewhere — and that's where a live comparison earns its keep.
The big four: Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury's and Morrisons
The traditional supermarkets have narrowed the gap with Aldi Price Match ranges (Tesco and Sainsbury's) and loyalty pricing (Tesco Clubcard, Sainsbury's Nectar Prices). Asda and Morrisons traditionally position on everyday low prices. For a big mixed shop with brands, one of these often wins overall once you account for their matched and member prices — but which one changes constantly as promotions rotate.
The premium end: Waitrose, Ocado, M&S and Co-op
Waitrose, Ocado and M&S sit at the premium end — better ranges and quality, higher headline prices — though they run competitive offers on branded lines worth catching. Co-op and Iceland serve convenience and frozen-specialist niches; handy locally, not usually cheapest for a full shop.
Why "cheapest" depends on your basket
A shop heavy on fresh produce and own-brand basics points one way; a shop full of specific brands points another. Promotions, loyalty prices and Aldi Price Match ranges all move week to week, so last month's "cheapest supermarket" ranking may already be wrong for you. The only way to know is to price your actual basket, today, across all of them at once.
How our comparison works
Clerkenwell Supermarkets pulls live prices from ten UK supermarkets — Tesco, Sainsbury's, Asda, Waitrose, Morrisons, Ocado, Iceland, Co-op, Aldi and Lidl — and updates them daily. You can:
- Search any product and see every supermarket's price side by side.
- Build a basket of your usual shop and see which supermarket totals cheapest.
- Scan a receipt and we'll re-price the exact same items everywhere else.
No account, no ads, no tracking. Just the live numbers for your shop.
Find the cheapest supermarket for your basket →Common questions
Which supermarket is cheapest overall?
Over a basket of like-for-like basics, Aldi and Lidl usually come out cheapest in independent surveys. But for a mixed shop with specific brands, one of the big four can win once loyalty and Aldi Price Match prices are counted. Price your own basket to be sure.
Are Aldi and Lidl really cheaper?
On own-brand staples and fresh produce, generally yes. The catch is range: if they don't stock a brand you need, you top up elsewhere, which can erode the saving. Comparing live prices shows the real difference for your list.
How often are the prices updated?
Daily. That matters because promotions, loyalty prices and price-match ranges change constantly.
Is it free?
Yes — free, ad-free, and no account needed.