Asda picked up its third win in a row, and with a more decisive victory than last week.
Asda’s basket cost 6.2% more than the same items did one year ago, but having the highest rate of inflation among this week’s contenders was not enough to cost it the win.
Its £65.19 basket was 3.2% cheaper than Tesco and more than 5% cheaper than all other full-range rivals.
Asda had the lowest or joint-lowest price for 18 of the 33 products in this week’s basket, including 10 where it was exclusively cheapest. Its strongest advantages included the coffee and walnut cake, which was on a ‘save £2’ price promo, own-label special fried rice and Yakult yoghurt drinks.
Low base prices gave Tesco (£67.35) the cheapest gammon, cranberry juice and ginger, with promos on the apples and Babybel providing its other exclusively cheapest SKUs.
Sainsbury’s (£68.80) had the biggest annual price decrease with deflation of 1.8%.
Morrisons (£70.25) was 7.8% dearer than Asda and cost 2.8% more than a year ago, the second-biggest rise. cider vinegar was its only exclusively cheapest SKU.
In the battle for premium spend Waitrose (£76.69) fended off guest retailer M&S (£81.16).
After announcing a further £20m investment into its New Lower Prices campaign, Waitrose was this week’s biggest discounter. Its 13 price cuts reduced its total by £7.13. Its basket cost 3.9% less than a week ago and 6.2% less month on month.
Waitrose was 5.5% cheaper than M&S. But the two high-end grocers are clearly watching each other – some 16 products were within 10p of each other including eight exact ties.
By contrast, promotions were largely absent from M&S with just one price cut and one multibuy deal.
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