Value ranges in double-digit decline as Morrisons, Tesco and Sainsbury’s slash products

Morrisons, Tesco and Sainsbury’s have removed some of the cheapest products from shelves after paring back their own-label budget ranges.

Analysis by The Grocer of products sold online shows a 15.6% reduction of Morrisons Savers and Wonky lines, a 13.6% reduction across Tesco’s economy-tier ‘Exclusively at Tesco’ brands, and a 6.2% drop in the number of Stamford Street Co SKUs at Sainsbury’s [Assosia 52 w/c 2 February 2026].

The total number of products across the three retailers has reduced by 11.8%, from 627 to 553.

Richard Harrow, partner at private label consultancy IPLC UK, said the massive labour and energy cost increases were proportionately harder to deal with for value tier products. “This tier is often sold either at an extremely low margin or in some cases negative margin,” he said. “There’s more wiggle room in the middle tier.

“Value tiers are margin dilutive, no matter what you do. I’m not really surprised to see retailers thinning their range and removing a few items. If you overlay that with the success of the premium tier, you can see how a category manager would want to find the space for a higher-margin product that gives them a point of difference over the competition.”

He added that value tiers had also become less central to retailers’ price perception strategies. “Tesco and Sainsbury’s are driving value through very different mechanics, such as loyalty card schemes and Aldi Price Match. They may have concluded they don’t need a large value tier to send a strong value message.”

Tesco axed its blue-and-white striped Tesco Value own label range in 2012, though it has recently revived the imagery to support its Everyday Low Prices campaign for brands.

Tesco’s current value tier consists of several ‘Exclusively at Tesco’ brands, including Bay Fishmongers, Butcher’s Choice, Creamfields, Eastman’s, Growers Harvest, HW Nevill’s, Hearty Food Co, Ms Molly’s, Nightingale Farms, Rosedene Farms, Stockwell & Co, Suntrail, Willow Farm and Woodside Farm. Across these brands, the data shows 229 SKUs – a 13.6% reduction on the 265 listed a year ago.

Discontinued products include Stockwell & Co muesli at £2, with the cheapest option now Tesco’s standard tier product at £2.40, some 20% dearer. Eastman’s wafer thin cooked chicken slices were 97p for 125g: the lowest priced own-label product is now £1.25, a 27.8% increase. 

Others have been replaced by similar-priced mid-tier SKUs, such as Stockwell & Co baked beans and pork sausages, previously 50p and now swapped for a 54p Tesco-branded line on Aldi Price Match. Willow Farm chicken drumsticks were £2.09/kg a year ago – while the brand has been shelved, Tesco’s own-label drumsticks are now £2.15/kg and price-matched to Aldi.

At Morrisons, the data shows 141 SKUs, down from 167 a year ago. Similarly, some of the value prices have been shifted to Morrisons’ standard tier, such as Savers mayonnaise and crumpets.

For others, the cheapest option has been removed entirely, including Savers fish fingers (80p for 10), green grapes (£1.59/500g) and garlic baguette (37p/170g). The cheapest alternatives now cost £2.20, £2 for 400g, and £1 for 205g respectively.

Sainsbury’s Stamford Street Co range cull includes cheese tortellini (£1.59/250g), with the mid-tier alternative 32.1% more expensive (£2.10/300g), or 10.1% dearer when adjusted for weight. The data shows the range shrinking from 195 to 183 SKUs. Sainsbury’s has also replaced some products with lower priced mid-tier SKUs, such as its houmous and cheese & onion quiche.

The data also highlights double‑digit price increases on several lines. Notable examples include:

• Sainsbury’s: garlic baguette rising from 85p to £1.25; chicken goujons from £1.79 to £2.50
• Tesco: Stockwell & Co jam from 39p to 49p; HW Nevill’s sliced loaf from 47p to 55p
• Morrisons: Savers chocolate chip cookies from 52p to 65p; orange juice drink from £1.19 to £1.45

All retailers said their actual ranges were larger, although none disputed that their ranges had shrunk in the last year. Sainsbury’s said its Stamford Street Co range totalled 190 SKUs, and Morrisons over 190 products, confirming that not all are sold online. Tesco declined to share numbers for its value brands.

Read more:

• Own label shines: trends in own label 2025

• Asda Income Tracker: six in 10 households feel worse off

• Tesco revives blue and white stripes in new value push

A Tesco spokesman said: “We work hard to provide great prices on our Exclusively at Tesco ranges and continue to review the products included in these ranges to ensure they best meet the needs of our customers. The majority of products in our Exclusively at Tesco ranges are included in our Aldi Price Match scheme, which covers more than 650 products in total.”

A spokeswoman for Morrisons said: “We currently have over 190 products in our Morrisons Savers range, with lots more exciting lines planned for 2026. We are constantly listening to our customers and reviewing our Morrisons Savers range to ensure it meets the needs of our most price-sensitive customers. The mayonnaise example was driving confusion for customers, which is why it was removed – that said, we know it is an important line for our most price-sensitive customers and so we are currently working with our supply base to bring one back later in the year. Customers also found the two crumpet ranges confusing and so we have kept the better-quality product at the entry-tier price point.”

Sainsbury’s spokesman said: “Our Stamford Street Co range can vary over time, with most items the same price or cheaper than in January 2025. We have invested £1bn over the last four years to help customers access great quality at lower prices and remain focused on offering outstanding value across thousands of products through our Aldi Price Match scheme, Nectar Prices, Your Nectar Prices and our own brand value lines.”

Of the four largest full-range supermarkets, only Asda increased its value tier, risiing from 170 to 174 SKUs. An Asda spokesman said: “We remain absolutely committed to the Just Essentials range and know that having good options at entry-level prices is vital for our customers.”

In 2022 Asda promised to stock its budget ranges in all supermarkets and online after complaints from food writer and anti-poverty campaigner Jack Monroe.

Economy own-label sales have declined across the industry. Sales stood at £4.2bn [Worldpanel 52 w/e 28 December 2025], down from £4.5bn [52 w/e 23 March 2025].