The Co-op has been told to change the way it advertises its Aldi Price Match scheme after the Advertising Standards Authority ruled that some product comparisons could mislead shoppers.
The advert, seen on the Co-op website in August 2025, featured a banner stating: “Everyday essentials, price matches to Aldi”, alongside grocery images including of tinned tomatoes, milk, carrots, bread, eggs, yoghurt and washing-up liquid.
Small print at the bottom said the convenience retailer matched “certain Co-op products against comparable products available at Aldi”.
While the watchdog accepted that Co-op had price-matched a range of staple items, it found some products were compared with different Aldi lines rather than identical ones.
Examples included Co-op’s Wholemeal Farmhouse Loaf matched with Aldi’s White Farmhouse Loaf, Co-op’s Fusilli Pasta Twists 500g compared with Aldi’s Cucina Penne Pasta 500g, and Co-op’s Low Calorie Bitter Lemon and Ginger Ale matched with Aldi’s Vive Low Calorie Indian Tonic Water.
It said shoppers were likely to assume Co-op was matching the same products sold by both retailers because the small-print wording of “comparable products” was ambiguous and lacked explanation.
The ASA noted many items that were correctly matched, including Co-op’s Seeded Loaf, Tiger Bloomer, White Toastie Loaf, Wholemeal Loaf, and Sparkling Lemonade.
As a result of Aldi’s challenge, Co-op has been told not to run the advert in the form complained of. The ASA said the retailer must ensure that where identical products are unavailable, alternative matches do not mislead. Co-op must also ensure that the basis of comparison is made clear to consumers and that it provides “sufficiently prominent information” so consumers can verify comparisons.
Aldi had also complained that the advert was misleading because the term “everyday essentials” didn’t make clear which products were included in the price match scheme, and that some products featured in the banner – including chopped tomatoes, carrots and lemon washing-up liquid – were not actually part of the scheme.
The ASA, however, rejected these complaints. It said shoppers would understand “everyday essentials” to refer to a selected range of commonly bought groceries, not the retailer’s full range. It also found that the banner items were correctly included in the scheme at the time the advert was displayed.
A Co-op spokesman said: “We ensure the product comparisons utilised in our Aldi Price Match offer are presented clearly on our website to enable shoppers to easily verify the matches and in response to the ruling, we have now made changes to our T&Cs online.”
An Aldi spokesman said: “We believe customers deserve clear, honest information when comparing prices and we’re pleased that the ASA has upheld this principle.
“Customers trust Aldi because we offer great value, high quality products at an everyday low price, and that’s why today we’ve been named Which? Cheapest Supermarket for January 2026, as well as for the last five years running - even when you include loyalty pricing and selective price matches at other supermarkets.”
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