Asda price sign

Source: Mystery shopper

Asda got back to winning ways after being soundly beaten by Lidl and Aldi in the past two weeks.

The victory comes as Asda plans to replace Smart Price with a bigger budget range called Just Essentials in response to the growing cost of living crisis. Ironically, Asda was the retailer most affected by inflation in this week’s 33, its total 9.6% higher than a year ago, versus an average of 6.3% across all five retailers.

At £60.32, Asda came in £3.38 cheaper than runner-up Sainsbury’s. It offered the lowest price for 17 products and was exclusively cheapest for 11. These included the apple pie, avocados, Colman’s horseradish and Ben & Jerry’s.

Sainsbury’s offered the lowest price for nine lines, with four exclusively cheapest – the cod fillets, Innocent juice, Pukka pie and watermelon chunks.

Morrisons came in third at £64.44. Along with Asda it had the most promotional activity. Both had nine deals compared with Waitrose’s six, Sainsbury’s five and Tesco’s four.

Morrisons charged the lowest price for eight lines and was exclusively cheapest for five, including the aubergine and chicken kievs.

Tesco was £5.39 more expensive than Asda at £65.71. This would have been reduced to £64.01 after factoring in its Clubcard Prices. While this would have moved it up from fourth to third ahead of Sainsbury’s, it would still have been £3.69 more expensive than Asda.

It did offer the lowest price for 10 items though and was exclusively cheapest for the bake at home baguettes, risotto rice and toilet tissue.

Waitrose offered the lowest price for three lines, two of which were exclusively cheapest – the Capri-Sun and the chorizo ring. However, it was still £13.31 more expensive than Asda at £73.63.