Morrisons has scuppered Asda's plans to record a fourth week as cheapest retailer, but only 49p separated the pair and the contest was settled on just one key item.

Morrisons made no price hikes or cuts that affected this week's list, but its £10.98 lamb chops were the cheapest on the list and almost £1 cheaper than Asda's, helping it produce a £48.84 basket. It also provided the cheapest pears at £1.28.

Asda, paradoxically, undercut Morrisons on 12 products but the price differences were not significant enough to counter the price differential on the lamb chops. With a £49.33 total, Asda provided six of the cheapest items on the list, but three were just a penny more at either Morrisons or Tesco. It did, however, significantly undercut the others on Soreen, which was 54p, compared with 65p at Morrisons, the priciest on the list. Its mange tout was 10p cheaper than at Morrisons and Tesco and it knocked 6p off bleach making it the cheapest on the list.

It joined Sainsbury's in adding 6p to the carrots, but aside from an 8p cut to the cucumber, it made no other price changes this week.

Tesco had been closest to snatching top spot from Asda until this week, but it dropped to third place after a host of hikes.

Its £50.95 basket contained Pepsi Max that was 73p steeper than last week. Tesco also added 55p to the yoghurt and 21p to the pears, making them the most expensive on the list at £1.69. Although it reduced the double cream by 18p and Vanish Oxi Action by 19p making them the cheapest, its total was still £1.62 more than Asda's.

It was an uncommonly busy week for price changes at Sainsbury's, which remained in fourth place with a £51.10 total. Although it reduced the yoghurt and Ambrosia by 21p and 11p respectively, it also upped the Aunt Bessie's Yorkshire puddings by 18p, making them the most expensive.

Waitrose reduced its lamb chops by £1.20 to £13.49, but this was still the most expensive on the list. All but 11 items on the list were priciest at Waitrose.

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