With grocery prices on the rise, UK shoppers seek the best deals on branded products. A detailed monthly price analysis of 241 popular branded items, including Dove, Chicago Town, Kellogg’s, Nescafé, Tilda, and Mr Kipling, shows Asda delivering the lowest average basket cost for the second straight month.

Key Price Comparisons

Prices tracked daily over March averaged £813.16 at Asda for all customers, undercutting Tesco Clubcard prices by 1% and Sainsbury’s Nectar prices by 4%. Morrisons averaged 6% higher at £858.67 with a More card and £860.79 without.

Non-loyalty shoppers face steeper gaps: Sainsbury’s at £933.82 (15% above Asda), Tesco at £911.64 (12% more), and even Waitrose at £902.83 proving cheaper than both big chains without cards.

Aldi and Lidl, while overall budget leaders, carry fewer branded options and were excluded from this branded goods review.

Stark Product Price Differences

Some items vary dramatically. Nescafé Azera Americano (90g) costs £3.50 with Tesco Clubcard but £7.25 without—a 107% jump. Tilda boil-in-the-bag basmati rice (four-pack) hit £2.25 at Waitrose versus £1 at Tesco without card, a 115% gap.

Filippo Berio Classic Olive Oil (500ml) averages £4.98 at Asda but £8.51 at Waitrose (71% more). Its Extra Virgin (750ml) ranges from £7 at Morrisons to £11.35 at Waitrose (62% difference).

Waitrose leads on select items: Twinings Everyday Tea Bags (80 bags) at £3.21 versus £5.61 at Morrisons (75% less); Vimto No Added Sugar Squash (1000ml) at £1.36 versus £2.25 at Tesco/Sainsbury’s non-members (65% savings); Colgate Plax Cool Mint Mouthwash (500ml) at £2.47 for Tesco members but £4.50 average without (82% hike).

Expert and Supermarket Views

Reena Sewraz, Which? retail editor, stated: “Our latest analysis shows Asda beats the UK’s biggest loyalty schemes to be the cheapest for branded goods for the second month running. Meanwhile, shoppers without a membership at Tesco or Sainsbury’s are being charged up to 15% more than the cheaper option – which can make those shops more expensive than Waitrose.”

“If you’re loyal to specific brands, the current market is a bit of a lottery. You could easily end up paying double for the exact same jar of coffee or bag of rice depending on where you shop. While membership cards offer targeted discounts, Asda’s straightforward pricing is proving more reliable for fans of big brands who want to keep their grocery bills under control without the need for a card.”

A Sainsbury’s spokesperson noted: “More than four in five of the items flagged in this report were cheaper on Nectar Prices and our customers know a good deal when they see one. We are committed to delivering outstanding value on the products people buy the most, including over 700 products in the biggest Aldi Price Match on the market and our own-brand value lines.”

A Tesco spokesperson added: “It is no surprise that Clubcard Prices deliver great value for customers, and with more than 80% of sales involving a Clubcard there are millions of people taking advantage of this every week. However, shoppers can also get great value on thousands of products without using their Clubcard thanks to our combination of Aldi Price Match and Everyday Low Prices.”

A Waitrose spokesperson commented: “We consistently offer great value on our customers’ favourite brands. This assessment only provides a snapshot, and does not take into account the wide range of promotions on other products belonging to the brands included within this analysis.”